Willie Mullins' 25-1 Longshot Denies Rebel's Romance Historic Triple

DEL MAR, Calif. – Ethical Diamond produced a stunning upset in Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar, giving Ireland's legendary jumps trainer Willie Mullins his first Breeders' Cup winner and denying Rebel's Romance an unprecedented third victory in the prestigious race.

Under jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 25-1 shot swept around the final turn on the outside and roared past his Group One-winning rivals to seal victory in the final furlong. The five-year-old gelding flew home in the stretch while rallying five wide, prevailing by 1 1/4 lengths in a track-record time of 2:25.45.

The result shocked the crowd at Del Mar, as favorites Minnie Hauk, Rebel's Romance and Goliath appeared poised to battle it out down the stretch before Ethical Diamond pounced late. Rebel's Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, finished second, while Appleby's El Cordobes was third. Odds-on favorite Minnie Hauk, winner of three Group One races in a five-race win streak this year, faded to sixth.

For Mullins, Ireland's 19-time champion jumps trainer better known for his success over fences than on the flat, the victory represented a remarkable achievement. When Mullins and bloodstock agent Harold Kirk purchased Ethical Diamond for £320,000 at the 2023 Tattersalls July Sale, the breeder worried whether they could get some black type for the horse.

"The breeder, who's not here today, when he sold him to me ... Well, I didn't exactly rob him at the price that we paid, but he was worried could I get him some black type? I promised him I would," Mullins said. "I think we overdelivered, but I'm sure he'd be delighted."

While most of his previous form had not suggested that he was up to this task, Ethical Diamond's demolition job in the Ebor Handicap at York in August hinted, to shrewd judges, that he might be better than most at Del Mar yesterday imagined. That day he toyed with a field of top class handicappers and won with plenty in hand. 

The victory marked the sixth consecutive year a European-trained horse has won the Breeders' Cup Turf. Flat bred, the son of an Irish 2000 Guineas winner in Awtaad, the win was Ethical Diamond's fifth in 15 lifetime starts, (one over hurdles, four on the flat) pushing his career earnings to £2,467,637.