Willie Mullins has become the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O'Brien 70 years ago to be crowned champion over jumps in Britain; second in the Celebration Chase with El Fabiolo was enough to secure the crown, with an unassailable lead established over Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls
Saturday 27 April 2024 18:24, UK
Willie Mullins has become the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O'Brien 70 years ago to be crowned champion over jumps in Britain.
While odds-on favourite El Fabiolo suffered defeat in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown, the second prize of £36,329 was enough to seal victory over Dan Skelton, whose Nube Negra finished fifth to take home £4,556.
Skelton started the day over £162,000 behind Mullins and the Grade One result meant he would not be able to win enough money in the remaining races to take the win.
A first British title tops another stellar season for Mullins, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs and Champion Hurdle with State Man, as well as landing the Grand National with I Am Maximus.
"It's been a fantastic year and I have to thank my owners who said whatever you need to bring to England, bring them to England," said Mullins.
"Between my owners and staff what more could you ask for and that's a good team of horses, I suppose. When you start off with the right people the horses will come.
"Vincent O'Brien is the legend of the game and to do something he did is extraordinary and something we never even thought of or could comprehend doing. We're delighted, everyone at Closutton is very happy."
The perennial Irish champion has 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 which 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, with Mullins eager to celebrate the achievement with family and friends.
He said: "I am amazed at the racing public over here, to be welcomed with such open arms everywhere we have gone. I would also like to thank the sponsors for putting on such a great day with a large prize money pot.
"It has been such a special day with Jackie (his wife), Patrick (son), David Casey, Ruby Walsh, James Nash and others from back in the day as well as a big crowd of friends all here today.
"I am sure we are going to celebrate long and hard! We will start off this evening, go on through the whole of Punchestown next week and maybe a few days after that!
"Everyone at home at Closutton, the local community and the whole of Irish racing has really been hyped by the whole thing and wishing us the best of luck for today."
