Willie Mullins broke the record for Cheltenham Festival winners with a 1,518-1 five-timer on Gold Cup day.
The Irish trainer, top of the charts in the all-time list for the meeting, celebrated ten successes during the big week. His previous best was eight winners over the four days in 2015, a tally Gordon Elliott also reached in 2018.
To the delight of punters, Mullins saddled winner after winner on the feature day of the Festival. Vauban (13-8f) got the day off to a flyer for favourite backers by sprinting clear in the Triumph Hurdle.
State Man (11-4f) was well supported before the County Hurdle, before The Nice Guy was an 18-1 shock scorer in the Albert Bartlett. Billaway, ridden by Mullins’ son Patrick, finished with a flourish to take the Hunters’ Chase.
(Image: PA)
Winged Leader looked set for victory in the home straight, until the 13-8 market leader burst onto the scene.
His incredible late surge took him to the front right on the line, to snatch the first prize by a neck.
Then grey mare Elimay (9-4) rounded off a fantastic afternoon for the Mullins team.
Racegoers chanted the horse’s name as she was headed back up the walkway with Mark Walsh aboard.
It was the rider’s seventh win at the meeting. Mullins reached 88 Festival winners overall on the back of an unforgettable afternoon at Prestbury Park.
After Elimay rounded it off, his assistant trainer David Casey said: “I thought we had lots of good chances and the horses have run brilliant all week.
“Elimay isn’t big but she’s really tough and stays really well. She didn’t help Mark much, but she is small. It was just her toughness that did it for her in the end.”
Mullins’ three Gold Cup runners were out of luck as Rachael Blackmore made history on favourite A Plus Tard (3-1f).
His dual winner Al Boum Photo finished sixth this time, as Henry de Bromhead’s chaser sprinted clear of the pack. After he found a gap between rivals up the straight, A Plus Tard put 15 lengths between himself and the pursuers.
Blackmore is the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup and the Grand National.
Ireland ended on 18 winners for the week, while Great Britain had ten.
Willie Mullins lands Cheltenham Festival 1,518-1 five-timer and breaks winners record
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