Paddock Pass: How Willie Mullins Dominates Britain

There was a time when Irish runners coming to Britain felt like raiders. Selective, targeted, dangerous.. but occasional.

That is no longer the case.

Now, when Willie Mullins sends a horse across the Irish Sea, it carries a different weight. It is not a raid. It is an extension of a system that has quietly, and then very visibly, expanded beyond Ireland and into Britain with remarkable efficiency. And while that dominance has become almost expected at the top level, the current landscape presents an interesting contrast, particularly with Dan Skelton closing in on, and now breaking, the UK prize money record.

Two very different models. Two very different paths to success. Both worth understanding.