While the talk of the last 12 months or so has been about the success of Henry de Bromhead at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, which is a warranted discussion considering he won the likes of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup amongst his impressive six victories, it has often overshadowed the fact that it was Willie Mullins who won the Leading Trainer accolade.
Level on six winners with his Irish compatriot, Mullins took home the Top Trainer award for the third year in a row on the basis of more placings. Yes, most of his victories might not have been in the biggest of Cheltenham’s races, with his only feature triumph coming in the Ryanair Chase with Allaho, but stature and prestige doesn’t matter in the battle between the trainers.
Six victories at the Prestbury Park Festival are certainly not to be sniffed at, but Mullins will know he could have done better last year — especially when you consider that Envoi Allen, Chacun Pour Soi and Al Boum Photo all failed to capitalise on their status as the favourites with those who bet on Cheltenham races.
Had at least two of those market leaders prevailed, Mullins would have matched his record of eight victories at a single meeting, which he shares with Gordon Elliott, while all three would have seen him land an unprecedented nine winners — which would be rather impressive when you consider that there are only 28 races at the Festival!
It is no surprise that the 65-year-old is being heavily backed to win the Leading Trainer award once again this year. With just a quick scour of the ante-post markets, you will notice several of Mullins’ top horses are at the fore of the betting — giving him a real possibility of reaching the heights of half-a-dozen or more in March.
As far as certainties go at the Prestbury Park meeting, Ferny Hollow looked nailed on to win the Arkle Chase on Day One, but he’s since been withdrawn due to injury, leaving the door open to his stablemate Blue Lord. Dysart Dynamo stands a great chance as the second favourite in the curtain-raising Supreme Novices’ Hurdle — a race Mullins has won on seven occasions. Appreciate It is the closest to Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle market, but it’s hard to see him usurping De Bromhead’s unbeaten star.
Day Two could get off to the perfect start with Sir Gerhard and Galopin Des Champs both clear favourites in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Festival Novices’ Chase, respectively, with Energumene set to push Shishkin all the way to the line again the Champion Chase after their thrilling battle in the Clarence House at Ascot last month.
On to the penultimate day, where Mullins looks set to scoop both of Thursday’s championship races — the Ryanair Chase and the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. Allaho breezed to the Ryanair last year and there’s nothing to indicate that he won’t do so again this year, while Klassical Dream is the one to beat in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Gold Cup Day can often be decisive in the race for Leading Trainer, and it has been good to the Irishman over the last few years, but victories could be hard to come by on the final day of the meeting for Mullins this year. Concertista is the favourite for the Mares Chase after going two for two so far this season, while Billaway is narrowly leading the market for the Hunters Chase — but he failed to win on his seasonal reappearance last month.
Al Boum Photo (10/1) and Tornado Flyer (14/1) are outside chances in the showpiece race, which can throw up surprises as we saw last year when Minella Indo caused a shock to win for Jack Kennedy and De Bromhead from 9/1. But the likes of A Plus Tard and Galvin have got to be more fancied.
When you take all this into consideration, it’s safe to say that Mullins could be up around the six winners mark again this year. However, to match or even better his previous best of eight looks set to be a bridge too far. There will be more than one feature victory, at least!