It is hard to quantify the importance of the Mullins family to Irish National Hunt racing.
Like his father Paddy, trainer of the great mare Dawn Run, Willie Mullins has already stamped an indelible mark on the sport with a plethora of big race wins, including over 100 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, and an apparently endless conveyor belt of talent at his disposal.
He has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup four times, the Champion Hurdle five times and the Grand National twice with Hedgehunter in 2005 and I Am Maximus in 2024.
Mullins has been National Hunt Champion Trainer in Ireland 18 times and in the 2023/24 season became the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O’Brien, in the 1953/54, to lift the UK trainers’ championship.
His is a family steeped in racing. Brother Tony was a successful jockey who partnered Dawn Run in her formative years, prior to Jonjo O'Neill getting that coveted mount and doing the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup 'double' on her (she's still the only horse to have done it).
Another of his brothers, Thomas, has enjoyed a successful time both as a jockey and trainer, while wife Jackie was another winner in the plate, as now is son Patrick.
Progress was steady, he was building the powerhouse that he now has, but nothing could stop him.
His first major star over jumps was the brilliant Florida Pearl, who won 14 of his 31 starts, nine of those wins coming against Grade 1 opposition, including four Irish Gold Cups, an RSA Chase and a King George VI Chase.
He also finished third in the 1999 Cheltenham Gold Cup and went one place better a year later, but over that trip, the hill proved just a few strides too far.
Since then it has been a procession of big race winners sent out by Mullins and his team, which is based at Closutton, in County Carlow.
By the end of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, the trainer had 78 winners to his name, a record which he increased in the following years.
Al Boum Photo - Cheltenham Gold Cup 2020 🏆 #CheltenhamFestival
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) October 2, 2021
pic.twitter.com/Yip7D4HjCQ
His Champion Hurdle count is five, two of those going to the brilliant Hurricane Fly, one to the magnificent but injury-prone Faugheen, one to the outstanding mare Annie Power and State Man getting the next one in 2024
Other wonderful performers such as Douvan, Vautour, Quevega, Monkfish, Min and Allaho are just a few of the names on his Cheltenham winners roster.
In 2023, Mullins won his third Gold Cup when seven-year-old Galopin Des Champs, ridden by Paul Townend, proved too strong for Paul Nicholls' Bravemansgame. It was Mullins' 93rd Cheltenham winner.
Mullins crashed through the 100 Cheltenham-winners mark at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and landed his fourth Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs again.
His other big winners of the week include State Man, who won the Champion Hurdle, Gaelic Warrior the Arkle, Lossiemouth the Mares' Hurdle, Fact To File the Browns' Advisory, Ballyburn the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle and Majborough the Triumph Hurdle.
Mullins landed nine winners during the week taking his tally to an incredible 103 wins.
Lest we forget, he readied Hedgehunter to win the 2005 Grand National, in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, and he has ticked off all the major races over jumps in Ireland.
So many of those were ridden by that great jockey and outstanding big-race pilot Ruby Walsh, who remains part of the team at Closutton now that his professional riding days are behind him.
Hedgehunter - Grand National 2005 🏇🏿 pic.twitter.com/lqoVOOhWXT
— Racing Tales (@Racing_Tales) March 14, 2020
In 2024, Mulins scored only his second winner in the Grand National when I Am Maximus was the emphatic winning favourite of the Aintree showpiece.
Mullins was responsible for eight of the 32 who headed to post in Liverpool, but I Am Maximus was well-touted to follow up last year’s success in the Irish Grand National.
An impressive tune-up in the Bobbyjo Chase saw punters latch onto the Grade One-winning eight-year-old and Paul Townend rode the 7/1 market leader with supreme confidence down the inner as I Am Maximus showed no sign of previous jumping frailties.
In a race with early drama when defending champion Corach Rambler unshipped Derek Fox at the very first fence, there were a plethora still in contention heading down to two out, where I Am Maximus was inching into contention.
However, the complexion of the race would change at the elbow where I Am Maximus scooted clear of the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Minella Indo and the staying-on Delta Work, who picked up second place in his third attempt at the famous race.
It was a first Grand National triumph for Townend, while owner JP McManus was striking at Aintree for the third time after Don’t Push It (2010) and Minella Times (2021).
I Am Maximus wins the 2024 #GrandNational 🏇🏆
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) April 13, 2024
What a race 🙌🤩
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Mullins said: “It was an excellent ride. I had said before the race that we didn’t know how good this horse was, today he showed that he’s better than he had been. I thought he still had a little bit from the handicapper after the Bobbyjo and he’s proved it today.
“Paul was excellent, he kidded him round the inside, he got chopped up a couple of times and probably didn’t jump as clean as he could, but he was looking for the gaps and when he eventually got it he was all right.
“I could see Paul’s body language and he was happy, so I was happy then. I don’t think I said anything until he got over the last and then I let go (and gave him a cheer).
“He’s a tremendous horse. He has his own way of doing things, he’s quirky and immature but he’s learning all the time. It’s extraordinary how we came to have him. Nicky Henderson had him before me, Michael Grech moved his horses to Ireland and Nicky said to me ‘make sure you get him’ and it was fine advice. Nicky could see the talent that he had and we just had to nurture it, so thanks to Nicky and also Henrietta Knight who organised all that.
“To win an Irish National and an English National is impressive.
“I think he could be a Gold Cup horse, but we don’t know how good he could be because he doesn’t do it at home. He’s quirky, but he has huge ability and until others get the better of him, we won’t know how good he is.”
And if pushing back the boundaries of what is possible in the 'winter game' was not enough, then Mullins has also successfully dipped his toe into the world of Flat racing.
Notable successes have come at Royal Ascot, in several renewals of Newmarket's Cesarewitch and in the Irish St Leger.
If he ever decided that the other code was the one he'd like to prioritise, then he'd be sure to make an even bigger splash.
For now though, there look likely to be many more great National Hunt stories to be told with Willie Mullins at their heart.
In April 2024, Mullins becoming the first Irish-based trainer since the great Vincent O’Brien to lift the UK trainers’ championship.
The perennial Irish champion had been as dominant as ever on his home patch, but an excellent Cheltenham Festival where he claimed both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup was followed by Grand National Glory with I Am Maximus left him within touching distance of emulating O’Brien’s remarkable feats of the 1950s.
A four-timer at Ayr which included success in the feature Scottish Grand National further cemented Mullins' grasp on the title, with El Fabiolo’s second place in the Celebration Chase at Sandown leaving Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton with no way of clawing back the deficit.
The victories of Minella Cocooner in the feature bet365 Gold Cup and Impaire Et Passe in the Select Hurdle put the icing on the cake,
As always, Mullins’ prime focus this term remained closer to home, but his nine victories at Festival in March made success in both jurisdictions a possibility and having enjoyed an equally triumphant Aintree, he has travelled the length and breadth of the UK in pursuit of the goal.
Mullins said: “We were looking at it for a few weeks before the National and we said if we were lucky enough to win a National we’re in with a shout, so we entered a bigger team for Liverpool than normal because we had to play our cards before the National and as it turned out it worked out very well.
“We won four Grade Ones and that put us right in the mix for the championship if the Grand National came up and it did come up and then there we were.
“I said to my team home this is a once in a lifetime (opportunity). I wasn’t born when Vincent did it so we said we’d just throw everything at it and see what happens.
“When you start off training you dream maybe of being Irish champion trainer, you never dream of being British champion trainer.”
He went on: “Possibly over the last few years you might have thought about it, especially in 2016 when we came very close.
“You think then that it’s achievable, but the right circumstances didn’t come around and I always believe in looking after what happens at home first and that’s why we probably haven’t gone after it since. But this year was just an extraordinary year.”
Back over in Ireland at final major meeting of the season at Punchestown, Mullins claimed his 18th Irish Champion Trainer crown and extended his record haul of Grade One wins in a season to 39 after Kargese came with a flying finish to claim the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
Florida Pearl (foaled 1992 - retired 2004)
Most famous wins: Irish Gold Cup (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004), Champion Bumper (1997), Dr P. J. Moriarty Memorial Novice Chase (1998), Royal & SunAlliance Chase (1998), James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase (1999), John Durkan Memorial Chase (2001), King George VI Chase (2001), Betfair Bowl (2002), Punchestown Gold Cup (2002), Normans Grove Chase (2004)
Hurricane Fly (foaled 2004 - retired 2015)
Most famous wins: Prix de Longchamp Hurdle (2008), Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (2008), Future Champions Novice Hurdle (2008), Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (2009), Punchestown Champion Hurdle (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), Hatton's Grace Hurdle (2010), December Festival Hurdle (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), Irish Champion Hurdle (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), Champion Hurdle (2011, 2013), Morgiana Hurdle (2012, 2013, 2014)
Annie Power (foaled 2008 - retired 2017)
Al Boum Photo (foaled 2012 - retired 2022)
Willie's wife, Jackie, was a successful amateur rider, the couple have a son, Patrick, who is the most successful amateur of all-time and an assistant trainer.
Willie's brothers Tom and Tony were also jockeys and trainers. Tony's son Danny Mullins is also a professional jockey, while Tom's son David, who won the Grand National on Rule The World, retired from the saddle at the age of just 24.
We always know the end of the Flat season is nigh when the Cesarewitch rolls around, and this year’s edition looks like being another pinstickers’ paradise (or nightmare).
Vauban open his account for the season in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York holding off a late surge from Al Nayyir.
A fantastic afternoon in store from the Curragh on Saturday as they stage the Irish Oaks card.
Three days of high quality action from the Curragh kicks off on Friday evening as the Irish Derby Festival gets underway at the Co Kildare venue.
The withdrawal of strongly fancied Hamish has reduced the Yorkshire Cup field to just six starters, but nonetheless there’s enough quality on show to suggest we have a gripping contest in store.
State Man claimed his 10th Grade One triumph with another straightforward success when seeing off old rival Irish Point in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.
The final day of the Punchestown Festival on Saturday will see the curtain coming down on the National Hunt season in Ireland on May 4.
