Top Cheltenham Trainer - Can Willie Mullins hit double figures again?

Willie Mullins remains in the midst of rewriting the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to National Hunt racing.

The Closutton chief has redefined what we perceive to be achievable and now stands alone with a staggering 103 Cheltenham Festival winners, the first person to pierce the century barrier.

He has been leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival 11 times since 2011, including in each of the last six years. His standout tally was 10 in 2022 and, given the incredible array of talent in his yard, double figures might not be beyond him again this year.

Ton-up for the record breaker

Mullins continues to rip up the script at Cheltenham, breaking records year-on-year and ensuring his place in racing folklore has long been assured.

Last March, it was the century club as Jasmin De Vaux won the Champion Bumper under Patrick Mullins to make it 100 winners at the Festival.

Another Gold Cup followed, going alongside the Champion Hurdle won by State Man.

After so many near misses in the most sought-after Cheltenham race, Mullins has now won the Gold Cup four times in six years, and Galopin Des Champs is odds-on favourite for a hat-trick in 2025.

Painting by numbers

Mullins was first crowned leading trainer in 2011 with four winners, Hurricane Fly's first Champion Hurdle the highlight.

He went up to five in 2013 and only twice since has he dipped below that benchmark in a single year, recording four winners in 2014 and 2019.

Four winners at this most prestigious of meetings would satisfy many mere mortals over a decade, if not an entire career.

Elsewhere, Mullins has recorded year-on-year tallies of eight, seven, six, seven, seven, six, ten, six and nine - all remarkably since 2015.

Only Gordon Elliott's brilliance in 2017 and 2018 have halted what would otherwise be a 12-year streak of Mullins domination at Prestbury Park.

Top prospects in 2025

At the time of writing, Mullins has the antepost favourite for 13 of the Festival's 28 races, though Kopeck De Mee does crop up in three of those races as connections ponder the best option for the French import.

He has outstanding novice hurdle claims with Kopek Des Bordes (Supreme) and Final Demand (Turners), while Majborough is odds-on for the Arkle and Kargese could shorten dramatically in the Mares' Hurdle if Brighterdaysahead is confirmed for the Champion Hurdle.

Ballyburn is hot favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Dinoblue heads the market for the Mares' Chase and Fact To File is favourite for the Ryanair.

He's also got Championship-race winners State Man and Energumene, albeit facing the might of Constitution Hill and Jonbon in the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase respectively.

Then there are the likes of Gaelic Warrior and El Fabiolo, both Arkle winners, whose targets are undecided.

Mullins is often overlooked in handicaps but his record there is also impressive, winning 10 since 2013, and he is sure to have lots of contenders again.

Paul Townend partnered Absurde to glory in the County Hurdle last March and many believe they have a major chance again in that race.

Verdict

Making double figures in 2022 was without question one of Mullins' greatest achievements to date, given how competitive the Cheltenham Festival is.

To get there again would be another heroic feat. He has the firepower, for sure, but with stars like Constitution Hill, Jonbon and Teahupoo in three of the four Championship races, it will be herculean stuff if the champion trainer in Britain and Ireland repeats his double-figure haul.

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