Willie Mullins’ son Patrick to ride for fierce rival Gordon Elliott… as reason for shock defection comes clear

WILLIE MULLINS’ jockey son Patrick is betraying his dad to ride for fierce rival Gordon Elliott – but there’s a very good reason for doing so.

Patrick is normally seen jocked up on one of his old man’s hugely promising types in a bumper.

Patrick will ride for one of his dad’s biggest rivals at Navan on SaturdaySportsfile

But at Navan on Saturday he will ride the Elliott-trained My Trump Card in the concluding 2m flat race.

Mullins Snr doesn’t have a runner in the race so that would usually mean Patrick wouldn’t have a ride.

But he is aboard the Bective Stud-owned five-year-old – because he bred the horse himself.

My Trump Card remains a maiden after two races, finishing fourth behind recent chase winner Grangeclare West on debut in November last year.

After a year off he returned by finishing a head second to Springt De La Mare at Navan last month.

My Trump Card was bought for £200,000 at the Goffs Landrover Sale in June 2021.

Mullins is in great form of late, operating at a 50 per cent strike in the past fortnight with four wins from eight rides.

He rides almost exclusively for his dad, the all-conquering trainer who will once again be targeting huge riches at Cheltenham next March.

Before then is Leopardstown at Christmas and the Dublin Racing Festival at the same track in early February.

One of his big stars for the year, El Fabiolo, makes his seasonal return this Sunday.

The evens money Champion Chase fav has been entered in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork on Sunday.

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