Mullins: Pearl was a treasure to train
Irish jumping legend Florida Pearl has been retired by trainer Willie Mullins at the age of 12.
The gelding won four Irish Hennessy Gold Cups in a glittering career, which also included two victories at the Cheltenham Festival – the champion bumper in 1997 and the SunAlliance Chase the following year.
Sadly, he was never to win the Gold Cup, but he did confirm himself a chaser of the highest order when beating Best Mate to land the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2001.
Mullins told the Racing Post: “He was an absolute treasure to train. He won nine Grade One races, which was quite some achievement. I will probably never have the likes of him again.”
Adrian Maguire was in the saddle when he beat Best Mate and he added: “I would say that he was probably the most talented horse I ever rode.
“He had a very high cruising speed. For a big horse he was very quick and he had a good turn of foot. He was class.”
FACTFILE:
Born: April 21, 1992.
Breeding: By Florida Son out of Ice Pearl by Flatbush.
Breeder: P Mackean.
Owner: Violet and Archie O’Leary.
Trainer: Willie Mullins.
Florida Pearl’s winning-most jockey: Richard Dunwoody with five successes between March 1997 and February 1999.
Career: Ran 33 times for 16 wins and £882,781 (€1.3m) in win and place money.
Big-race wins: Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham (1997); Dr P J Moriarty Memorial Novice Chase at Leopardstown (1998); Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham (1998); Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown (1999); James Nicholson Wine Merchants Champion Chase at Down Royal (1999); Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown (2000); Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown (2001); John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (2001); Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park (2001); Martell Cup Chase at Aintree (2002); Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup (2002); Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown (2004).
Other information: The only horse to win Leopardstown’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup four times.
Third to See More Business in the 1999 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Second to Looks Like Trouble in the 2000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Never ran over hurdles.
