The breakthrough came at Punchestown in December 2025, which is a significant venue to open your account at — Punchestown hosts some of the biggest racing festivals in Ireland, so it is not a track where horses win by accident. Espresso Milan then went one better by winning at Thurles in January 2026, confirming that the first win was no fluke. Back-to-back wins mid-season is exactly the kind of form that suggests a horse is improving and beginning to work out what racing is all about.
The trainer behind all of this is Willie Mullins, arguably the most successful racehorse trainer in the world right now. His operation in Muine Bheag, Co Carlow, has sent out 230 winners already this season alone — that is a staggering number, and it means that when a horse earns a place in his string, it is surrounded by exceptional horsemanship and expertise every single day. Horses trained by Mullins tend to improve with experience, which makes Espresso Milan's upward curve feel entirely believable.
The recent form string does include a couple of quieter runs at either end, but the middle of it — two wins sandwiched around a placed effort — tells a clear story of a horse that hit form sharply and delivered when it mattered. At six years old, there is still plenty of racing ahead, and with the foundation of seven races already banked, Espresso Milan arrives at whatever comes next as a known quantity: tough to beat when in the mood, and trained by someone who knows exactly how to bring the best out of a horse.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punchestown Galloping |
3 | 1 win, 2 other | 29 Apr | 33.3% |
| Market Rasen Sharp |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 18 Feb | 0% |
| Thurles Undulating |
1 | 1 win | 18 Jan | 100% |
| Cheltenham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 13 Mar | 0% |