Pretty Storm

We’re delighted to introduce Pretty Storm, an exciting new recruit who will be joining Willie Mullins at Closutton for a novice hurdling campaign.

A five-time winner on the Flat in France, Pretty Storm is a big, athletic mare with proven ability, stamina and versatility – and there’s a family connection that makes her an especially exciting prospect for the jumping game.

Pretty Storm is a full sister to Storm Heart, who made the same journey from the Flat in France to Willie Mullins and quickly developed into a high-class hurdler. At just four years old, Storm Heart finished second at Grade 1 level over hurdles before progressing to win a Grade 3 and subsequently finishing third in the 2m5f Grade 3 handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival from a mark of 151.

Significantly, Pretty Storm’s Flat rating in France was within just 2lb of her brother’s.

That combination of pedigree and proven racecourse ability is exactly what attracted us to Pretty Storm. In fact, we had tried to buy her on two previous occasions before finally managing to secure her for Pimlico Racing!

Standing over 16.1hh, she is a quality, athletic individual with the size and movement we look for in a prospective jumper. She has already demonstrated her toughness with 25 starts on the Flat, while her five victories show she knows how to win.

She is also extremely versatile. Pretty Storm has won on ground ranging from good to very soft and stays 1m4f strongly, giving us plenty of encouragement that stamina will be an asset rather than a question mark when she switches to hurdles.

The Plan

After being given a short break, she will begin pre-training with Noel Dooly before heading to Willie Mullins at Closutton in early December. The aim, all being well, is to have her ready to make her hurdling debut early in the New Year.

With her Flat ability, physical scope and the example already set by her full brother, we believe Pretty Storm has all the ingredients to develop into a Listed or Graded-class novice hurdler.

There is another attractive element to her profile too. As a five-time winning mare and full sister to a high-class Graded performer, Pretty Storm should retain genuine residual value as a future broodmare once her racing career is complete.

Willie himself was delighted to hear she’ll be making the move to Closutton:

“Fantastic to have her. She clearly has shown plenty of ability in France and it’s a family I know well!”
— Willie Mullins

Opportunities to own horses with this combination of proven Flat form, pedigree, physical scope and a direct family connection to a horse already successful for Willie Mullins don’t come along very often.