Former Irish jockey Ruby Walsh has claimed that Willie Mullins' century of wins at the Cheltenham racing festival is an unbelievable achievement in the sport.
Mullins has been the king of the horse training world for many years now, and this week has been no different. Coming into the festival, Mullins' winning record stood at 96 wins.
On Wednesday, Mullins managed to reach 99 victories via Ballyburn and Fact to File and was fancied to achieve the landmark feat in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on that same day, but odds-on favourite El Fabiolo fell at the fifth fence.
However, Mullins didn't have to wait long, and in the final race of the day on Wednesday, his son Patrick Mullins won aboard Jasmin De Vaux in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper to create history.
Mullins' first-ever Cheltenham win came from Tourist Attraction in 1995, and he is almost certain to be the week's leading trainer for the 11th time in the last 14 years. He also helped Ruby Walsh win the 1998 Champion Bumper at the Alexander Banquet. Walsh, speaking after the century-long win, had high praise for the record-breaker.
"One hundred for Willie Mullins, ridden by his son, that's fitting, brilliant," Walsh said.
"It's some achievement. People look at Willie Mullins, and they look at the dominance, and all you hear is people moaning and giving out.
"But I was there. Not at the beginning; I was in school when Tourist Attraction won (in 1995), but I've been there since."
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ winners for Willie Mullins at the Cheltenham Festival.
Jasmin De Vaux puts up a serious performance to win the Champion Bumper under Patrick Mullins. ☘️#CheltenhamFestivalpic.twitter.com/ydB2OztMpa— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) March 13, 2024
Walsh also remarked that Mullins' rags-to-riches story, where they had to take budget flights back in the late '90s to where they are now, is an "unbelievable" feat.
"I've gone from number two to number 100. When we came in 1998, myself and (fellow former jockey) David Casey were flown to Stansted, and Jackie Mullins' father (Willie's father-in-law) picked us up and brought us to Cheltenham from Stansted because the budget didn't extend to flights to Birmingham.
"It's something that has been built from the very bottom, and I just think it's off the charts.
"And I know I have two feet in the camp, and I appreciate it and respect it, but what he's achieving is unbelievable."
Mullins' Irish rival, Gordon Elliott, also gave praise to his racing colleague: “I’m just lucky to have been born in the same era as Willie Mullins. Listen, he’s a great man, and I’m delighted for him to get his 100 winners at Cheltenham.”
The Cheltenham Festival's first race on Thursday begins at 1.30 later today.
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