Montessori teacher adds new chapter in distinguished story at Goffs with pinhooking success

Scarlett Mullion lived up to her family history when taking her first steps in the bloodstock world at Goffs, with her Acclamation colt starring on a tough day for vendors. The Montessori teacher had a familiar hand to steady her on the first steps down a path her forebears have trodden with success as the youngster made €80,000 to Johnny Murtagh in the opening Book 2 session of the Orby Sale.

Based in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Mullion is the granddaughter of two distinguished racing families; her paternal grandparents Jim and Meg owned Ardenode and Ragusa Studs and raced champions including Ragusa, who was trained by the legendary Paddy Prendergast to win the 1964 Eclipse Stakes, having been victorious in the Irish Derby, King George, St Leger and Great Voltigeur the year before.

Mullion's maternal grandmother is Lady Clague, whose maroon spotted silks were a familiar sight in the winner's enclosure with trainer John Oxx.

Some of the best horses the lady of Newberry Stud, who was the wife of the visionary Hong Kong Jockey Club chairman Sir Douglas Clague, raced in that era were ridden by Murtagh. They included the Yorkshire Oaks winner Key Change, who was placed in both the Irish Oaks and Irish St Leger in 1996. 

Murtagh also rode Lady Clague's Prix de l'Abbaye and Anglesey Stakes winner Namid, who sired another winner of the Parisian Group 1 in Total Gallery, so there was a sense of circularity with his purchase of the Acclamation colt as well as a definite feeling of a new chapter in the story being written.

Speaking while they awaited the return of their colt to his stable Mullion and Brendan Whelan, who managed her grandparents' farm, were delighted to share the story behind his sale through Clare Manning's Boherguy Stud.

The Acclamation colt pinhooked by Scarlett Mullion and Brendan Whelan takes his turn in the ring at GoffsCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

"I'm out of retirement to help Scarlett, this is her first pinhook," smiled Whelan.

Mullion added: "We bought him here last November so it's nice to come back and sell him here as a yearling."

That purchase was from Alice Kavanagh's AK Thoroughbreds, and the colt cost €40,000 at the Goffs November Sale.

Whelan explained what it was that made him the ideal colt to begin Mullion's reintroduction to the bloodstock world.

"For starters, he's a typical Acclamation," he said. "Scarlett liked him and then he had a black type page, he was a half-brother to two black type horses including one who was a Group 1 two-year-old. Then Englemere came out this year and is a Listed winner at two, George Boughey has done a great job with her."

Englemere, a daughter of Goken, added that Listed update to the page after the catalogue was compiled but the pair's older half-siblings include Family One, who won the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin and Group 3 Prix du Bois and was runner-up in the Prix Morny. Their Excellent Art half-sister Modern Family was second in the Listed Premio Empoli while another half-sister, the unraced Sinndar mare Lady Family, is the dam of the Listed Prix Nureyev winner and Prix Niel second Lassaut.

"We went to €40,000 on him as a foal because we thought he could make double that as a yearling and that is exactly what he did make. We are thrilled because it is a tough market in there so we are feeling relieved and the pressure is off," Whelan added.

Johnny Murtagh revived an old link from his racing days when buying Lot 611Credit: Sophie Webber Photography

It's a family that has done particularly well with Acclamation and his son Dark Angel, whose July Cup and Diamond Jubilee winner Lethal Force is out of a half-sister to Ascot Family, while Mangoustine, his Classic-winning daughter is descended from another half-sister to Ascot Family, herself a Listed winner at two. 

Haydock's Sprint Cup winner G Force and Flotilla, a Breeders' Cup and Classic winner, are both under the colt's second dam Family At War.

With Murtagh purchasing the colt, it gave rise to opportunities to reminisce but also provided a neat symmetry for Mullion and Whelan. 

"We're delighted that Johnny [Murtagh] has bought him as well because he used to ride for my grandmother, so having that connection is lovely. I'm hoping to come back for the foal sales and have another crack at it."

"He went to Clare's [Manning], she took him on for me as I'm a Montessori teacher so this is a little bit of a hobby but I don't know which is harder!" she smiled.

Whelan is meant to be enjoying the quiet life but the opportunity to mentor Mullion and revive old lives and lines was irresistible to him.

"I've known Scarlett since she was a little girl, she got out me out of retirement," he beamed. "I worked with horses for years but I've spent the last 18 years working at St Gerard's School in Bray. Scarlett had this idea she wanted to go with and thankfully she asked me to help her with it. It's the old team back together again and I love it!"

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