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Linda Mullins

Linda Mullins
OccupationGreyhound Trainer
Major racing wins
Classic/Feature wins:
Greyhound Trainer of the Year
(1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Trainers Championship
(1991, 1993, 1997)
Laurels
(1984, 1996, 1997)
Grand National
(1990, 1998, 1999)
Pall Mall
(1985, 1998, 2002)
Grand Prix
(1997, 1999, 2000)
St Leger
(2000)
Cesarewitch
(2003)
TV Trophy
(1993)
Scurry Gold Cup
(2000)

Linda Mullins is a retired English greyhound trainer. She is a five times champion trainer of Great Britain and was regarded as the leading trainer during the 1990s.[1]

Biography

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Mullins (née Chapelle) trained greyhounds at Eastbach kennels in English Bicknor and then married Pat Mullins. They ran the greyhound business from kennels in Manningtree, Essex and had fours sons; three of which (John, David and Kelly) became trainers in their own right at later dates.[2] The family won the 1978 English Greyhound Derby with Lacca Champion.[3]

Pat died during March 1981, which resulted in Linda taking over the kennels.[4] Her sister Jeanne Chapelle was a successful trainer at Oxford Stadium with the JC prefix in the 1960s.[5] In April 1981, Linda received the sport's leading award for breeding the top litter, which included 1980 greyhound of the year Sport Promoter.[6]

Linda started as a kennel girl at Wembley[7] and then as a trainer initially raced out of Cambridge Stadium in 1982 before spells at Harringay Stadium and Crayford Stadium. The first Classic race success arrived in 1984 by virtue of a Laurels title with a greyhound called Amenhotep.[8] Linda continued to gain success and switched tracks to Romford Stadium in 1987.[9]

She secured the first of three Grand National titles in 1990 and her son David took out a licence at Sunderland in 1991 before Linda gained a contract at Walthamstow Stadium.[10] She secured five consecutive Champion Trainer titles from 1996-2000.[11]

A first English Greyhound Derby final appearance in 1995 was quickly followed by numerous classics with the help of greyhounds such as El Tenor and Palace Issue. In 1999, Linda's Hello Buttons dead heated with Pottos Storm trained by her son David in the final of the Grand National. In 2000, Linda called it a day and retired, her son John took over the licence.[12]

Awards

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Mullins won the Greyhound Trainer of the Year for five consecutive years from 1996 to 2000 and won the Trainers Championship three times in 1991, 1993 and 1997 respectively.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2008). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-534.
  2. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2004). Greyhound Annual 2005. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-58-8.
  3. ^ Dick, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years, pages 160/161/162/163/164/165. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  4. ^ "Greyhound memorial". Cambridge Daily News. 2 April 1981. Retrieved 22 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "John Mullins, Professional Greyhound Trainer". Dillymore Kennels.
  6. ^ "Milton Road greyhound spectacular". Cambridge Daily News. 18 February 1981. Retrieved 22 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 2000) November edition". Greyhound Star. 2012.
  8. ^ "Greyhounds". Daily Mirror. 28 December 1984. Retrieved 22 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  10. ^ Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-22-8.
  11. ^ "Greyhounds: Linda Mullins retires next month". Racing Post.
  12. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
  13. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2008). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-534.