Kingmaker Joins Champion Trainer Willie Mullins for PV Jumps Syndicate!
- PV Team
- Oct 31
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 2
After being asked time and time again over the past two years to add a jumps horse to our syndicate stable, we decided that if we were going to do it — we were going to do it properly! The result? A dream project that was first hatched when Patrick Mullins rode a winner for us at Chester, and has now become an exciting reality!
A Major New Signing for Pompey Ventures
Pompey Ventures is delighted to welcome Kingmaker (Timeform rated 83) to the team — a striking dual-purpose prospect who will be trained by none other than the British and Irish Champion Trainer, Willie Mullins. This exciting addition marks another major step forward for our syndicate owners as we continue to build a stable of quality, well-selected horses with some of the very best trainers in the business.
A Legendary Trainer
Willie Mullins needs little introduction. A dominant force in National Hunt racing for decades, he has captured just about every major prize there is — from the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup, and King George, to Champion Hurdles across England, Ireland, and France, along with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and countless Cheltenham Bumpers.
Despite such incredible achievements, the past twelve seasons have arguably been the most successful of his illustrious career. His horses have delivered extraordinary consistency, with the 2022/2023 campaign producing a record-breaking 237 winners from 831 runners.
The 2023/2024 season raised the bar even higher — Willie surpassed 100 Cheltenham Festival winners, set a new Irish record with 254 winners and 183 placed horses, and made history by winning the British Jumps Trainers’ Title, the first Irish trainer to do so since the legendary Vincent O’Brien in 1954.
It was also another landmark year for Patrick Mullins, who was crowned Champion Amateur Rider for the sixteenth time, riding 57 winners and maintaining an exceptional 42% strike rate.
EDIT - 1.11.25!
And the success just keeps coming! In an extraordinary new milestone, Willie captured his first Breeders’ Cup victory with Ethical Diamond storming home to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar — a landmark triumph on the flat for a trainer best known for his dominance over jumps. This latest success cements Willies’ reputation as one of the most versatile and accomplished trainers in global racing.
What an additional to the PV training team.
Introducing Kingmaker
Purchased by the Pompey Ventures team at Tattersalls, Kingmaker caught our eye immediately. He’s shown consistency in his recent runs, and his latest at Kempton was particularly eye-catching: a fast-finishing effort that saw him slice through the field from last to finish second, beaten just three-quarters of a length. The winner enjoyed a perfect trip near the pace, which made Kingmaker’s closing run all the more impressive. Interestingly, Zarakerjack, who finished third that day, was also on our shortlist for another project!
Kingmaker offers the ideal dual-purpose profile to flourish under National Hunt style racing in Ireland. In truth, I suspect the only reason we were able to secure him for a reasonable price is that he’s still a maiden — otherwise, he would have been well beyond our reach. He was our National Hunt NAP and an absolute standout as a physical, a fact reflected in Jonjo O’Neill being the underbidder!
He’s a genuine, straightforward horse whose results simply reflect races that haven’t been run to suit him. When we first brought him out of his box, we were struck by his sheer size and scope - especially impressive for a three-year-old - with all the right attributes to develop into a high class national hunt horse.
What’s Next
Kingmaker will now be gelded and given a short break before joining Willie’s world-class operation at Closutton.
We’re delighted to be teaming up with the world’s leading jumps trainer, and we are already hard at work planning the first yard visit to Closutton Stables for our syndicate owners to spend a morning on the gallops with Kingmaker, Willie, Patrick and the team!
This will be seriously good fun.
