Willie Mullins is preparing to train a horse owned by King Charles and Queen Camilla, marking a historic moment as it’s believed to be the first time a reigning British monarch’s horse is trained in Ireland. This tradition was last seen in the 1970s when John Oxx Snr trained Mascara for the Queen Mother.
The four-year-old horse, Reaching High, is set to make its debut in the Lady Riders Handicap over 1 mile 4 furlongs at Leopardstown on Friday at 8:30 pm. Riding the horse will be Jody Townend, sister of esteemed trainer and recent Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Paul Townend.
Reaching High was originally trained in England by Sir Michael Stoute before his retirement last season. The horse is a progeny of Sea The Stars out of Estimate, promising a pedigree rich in stamina and endurance.
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Willie Mullins had the special privilege of meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot in 2023, where he also took part in the prestigious Royal procession. Shortly after this meeting, the royal couple surprised Mullins with a call asking if he would train their horse, a request he gladly accepted.
“We were introduced to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot last year,” Mullins explained to The Irish Field. “The next thing, we got a phone call asking if we would take a horse for them. I said I would be delighted, and Reaching High arrived here shortly afterwards.”
Though they initially planned to run Reaching High in a jumps race, the plans shifted, and the horse will now compete in a flat race this Friday. Looking ahead, the Ascot Stakes, a demanding two and a half mile race at the start of this year’s Royal Ascot meeting, is a key target. Mullins emphasized that with Reaching High’s stamina-built pedigree, longer distance races like the Ascot Stakes could be ideal.
If Reaching High performs well, this could mark the beginning of a promising partnership between the British Royal family and one of Ireland’s most celebrated trainers. There may even be a future pipeline of high-caliber horses joining Mullins’ renowned training yard at Closutton.