Hell Hound

Trained by Neil Mulholland

FORM 2-01-134-P12   OR – 108

"Hell Hound has missed a good bit of time so we brought him back into training at the earliest opportunity on July 1st. We hope to have him back on the track in the autumn" Noel Fehily

After winning a bumper and novice hurdle in the summer of 2024 we had high hopes for Hell Hound going forward. That proved correct as he ran two nice races when placed at Fontwell and latterly Ascot in early November.  The Ascot form looks strong given the exploits of the winner and runner up who are now rated much higher.
 
However, the very dry autumn saw him race on heavily watered ground which is always a worry and quite possibly caused an injury to a tendon. Credit to trainer Neil Mulholland for spotting this injury so early.  We’ve had a scare but no worse, albeit we had to stop to prevent further damage.
 
After 467 days off the track Hell Hound made his reappearance at Taunton (12th Feb) under Conor O’Farrell in a 3m Handicap Chase. Despite being pulled up we were pleased with his performance as the ground was far too deep and understandably he’ll improve for the outing. The race was run at a fierce pace but Conor was happy with the way he travelled and was delighted with his jumping. 
 
We expected “better next time” and that is what we got as Hell Hound WON at Southwell (1st April) under an excellent ride from Conor O’Farrell.  He again jumped superbly and stayed the 3m really well to win ‘driven out’ by three lengths.  Conor was delighted with Hell Hound as he felt his confidence improved throughout the race.  
 
Hell hound then went to Ffos Las (20th May) when running a fine 2nd to an unexposed winner but this 4 runner race wasn’t run to suit. Unfortunately there was a complete lack of gallop which was compounded when the leader fell at the fourth fence.  It turned the race into a sprint and as hard as he tried Hell Hound was denied by Loki’s Mischief who was bang in form after winning impressively on his most recent outing.

About the Trainer

Neil Mulholland

Neil Mulholland is a well-regarded National Hunt and flat racing trainer based in Bath, Somerset. Having started his career as a jockey, Mulholland transitioned to training in 2008 and quickly made his mark. Known for his versatility, he has achieved success across various types of races, from hurdles to chases, and even on the flat. Mulholland’s stable has sent out numerous winners at major meetings, including Cheltenham and Aintree, where horses like The Druids Nephew and Pilgrims Bay have shone. His training methods emphasize getting the most out of each horse’s unique abilities, which has allowed him to maintain a consistent level of success. Mulholland’s growing reputation is a testament to his hard work and strategic race planning, making him one to watch in both codes of racing.