Trainer Profile

County of origin: Tipperary

Date of licence: 1980

First winner: Blaze Gold (JK Kinane) Clonmel, February 5th, 1981

Significant horses (selected): Blazing Tempo, Conem, Safe Route, Mossey Joe, Blacklough, Emcon, Newmarket Story.

Assoc. jockeys: Jody McGarvey, Jack Kennedy, Patrick Corbett

Did you know:

Based in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, Willie Austin is best known as the breeder of the legendary Danoli, a six-time Grade 1 winner and an iconic racehorse that will always be remembered as ‘The People’s Champion’. Having bought Danoli’s dam, Blaze Gold as a yearling, she was to be Willie’s first winner as a trainer in early 1981. Willie’s biggest career success as a trainer came when Blazing Tempo won the ITBA Fillies Scheme EBF Premier Bumper at the Punchestown festival in 2009. Ridden that day by leading amateur rider Patrick Mullins, she would later be sold to his father, champion trainer Willie Mullins for whom she would become a first Galway Plate winner in 2011. Willie has enjoyed memorable wins with Conem which landed two races at the Listowel Harvest festival in 2008 and he also saddled Four Chimneys to win twice at the Limerick Christmas festival the following year. Willie also bagged Graded wins with Conem, Mossey Joe and Blacklough and saddled a number of home-bred winners over the years including Tug of Peace, Barronstown Boy, Handfull Of Euros, Blazing Sonnet and Blazing West. Willie shared a number of his biggest winners with jockey Andrew Leigh. He had an unforgettable win at Lingfield Park in 2009 with Newmarket Story winning at 100/1, his only ever runner in England.