15/05/2026
On Saturday, we were joined by the family and friends of Hugh Mulryan. They sponsored the final race on Saturday evenings racing - The Hugh Mulryan Memorial (Pro/Am) Flat Race. Almost 50 of them made the trip down from Galway to celebrate the life of Hugh and we were honoured to host them. Willie Mullins trained Linford (9/4) won the race impressively and fair play to the winning jockey Patrick Mullins for being so generous with his time after the race. Below is the tribute written by his brother Michael for our Saturday racecard...
Horses and horse racing were Hugh’s life. From a very young age he studied the form and the sales books. Then at 15 he went to work for Denis Hogan at weekends and during school breaks, and he spent his summers in Cloughjordan with the Hogans until he went to college in Dublin.
For the next few years riding out in the mornings for different trainers, going to college during the day, and working in yards and stud farms during the summers, Hugh managed to get his law degree. But working with horses was where his heart kept him. He bought and sold horses successfully with a close group of friends, advised my father and others on what horses to buy at sales, and he was successful in his endeavours at a rate that could never simply be described as luck.
Many of the horses that passed through his hands have had great success in the ten months since his passing — including Cousin Kate and The Lovely Man, along with other winners at point-to-points and elsewhere.
Hugh’s courage in his convictions set him apart from a lot of people at that age. He stood up for what he believed was right, even if it got him into trouble. He made decisions and acted on them wholeheartedly.
He could let his hair down and enjoy himself as good as anyone, but for the most part he was a serious man — serious about life, about horses, about looking after his body, and about keeping his mind open to learning something new every day.
Hugh knew we were all proud of him.
It is due to a great tragedy that many of us are gathered here today, and it is a great honour to have a race at this festival, in such a beautiful setting, dedicated to his memory.
RIP Hugh.