Patrick Mullen

Patrick Mullen

Article by Alan Trout

A jockey from Ireland, Patrick Mullen rode 18 winners over jumps in Britain between 1921 and 1931. He had ridden enough winners on home soil so that he could no longer claim an allowance.

He had an eventful first British ride in the New Year Chase at Bogside on January 5, 1921, when his mount Shannon Vale finished second and last, beaten ten lengths by James Thomason on Kanrak, the other three starters all having fallen. The five-year-old Shannon Vale had been his last winner in Ireland, finishing alone in the three-runner Grange Plate, a steeplechase, at Gowran Park on September 30, 1920.

Patrick’s first success in Britain came at Perth on September 28, 1921, when Latham Park, having his first run of the season, won the Fair Maid’s Chase by a distance. At the same course the following day he registered a doble, with Uome taking the Cramock Handicap Chase and Shannon Vale the Stewards’ Selling Handicap Chase. All three of those three horses were trained in Ireland.

He added one more victory before the year ended when Uome scored again, landing the Haydock Park Handicap Chasse on December 10. Maurice Dillon, who had finished third on My Royal, objected to the first and second on the grounds of ‘bumping after clearing the last fence’. After hearing evidence of the three jockeys involved, the stewards allowed Uome to keep the race but disqualified the runner-up, All White, ridden by Bob Chadwick. Earlier in the year, Chadwick had finished a distant third on All White in the Grand National, having fallen and remounted. 

Patrick rode the occasional winner over the next decade. Among the highlights were three wins apiece on northern staying chasers Major II and Silver Lad. It was on the former that he had his first ride in the Scottish Grand National, finishing unplaced in the 1924 renewal. He fared better the following year when finishing third on Jimmu, beaten three lengths and ten, victory going to Jack Anthony on Gerald L. 

In 1926 he ventured south to ride Pinnace, unplaced in the Imperial Cup at Sandown Park. 

At Hexham in April 1930 he was involved in another incident in which the jockey on the third horse objected to the first two past the post. This time it was for taking the wrong course and on this occasion Patrick was not so fortunate.. Having finished second on Dun-Diver in the Northumberland Handicap Chase, he was disqualified along with the winner, Son Of Erin, and fined, the race being awarded to Gerry Hamilton on Denburgh. 

Patrick’s last winner in Britain was Silver Lad, who landed the Ladies’ Cup, a handicap chase, at Rothbury on April 1, 1931, a race they had also won the previous year. Over a year later, May 21, 1932, he had his last ride on the same horse when finishing third in the Richmond Handicap Chase at Sedgefield.  

Patrick Mullen’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Lathom Park, Perth, September 28, 1921

2. Uome, Perth, September 29, 1921

3. Shannon Vale, Perth, September 29, 1921

4. Uome, Haydock Park, December 10, 1921

5. Brown Owl, Bogside, January 4, 1922

6. Major II, Sedgefield, February 20, 1924

7. Major II, Carlisle, April 21, 1924

8. Major II, Hexham, May 7, 1924

9. Hermocles, Cartmel, June 9, 1924

10. Jugalis, Kelso, March 31, 1925

11. Always Ready, Sedgefield, April 8, 1925

12. Frankfort, Carlisle, April 13, 1925

13. Guinea Stamp, Hexham, April 30, 1925

14. Corazon, Manchester, January 1, 1926

15. Dun-Diver, Catterick Bridge, March 5, 1930

16. Silver Lad, Rothbury, April 2, 1930

17. Silver Lad, Sedgefield, April 16, 1930

18. Silver Lad, Rothbury, April 1, 1931