Willie Mullins makes history with 100th win at Cheltenham and saves bookies millions as his big favourite pulls up
IT was hats off to Willie Mullins as the trainer punched the air in triumph after becoming the history-making ton-up king of the Festival.
Ballyburn, Fact To File and Jasmin De Vaux gave him a Day Two treble that made him the first trainer to celebrate smashing through the 100-winner mark at Cheltenham.
And to complete the most emotional of afternoons for the greatest handler jump racing has ever seen, the last was ridden by his own son Patrick.
His only blip came as he saved the bookies millions when his 2-9 favourite El Fabiolo was pulled up in the Champion Chase.
And for once even mighty Mullins was nearly stunned into silence by his success . . . but not quite.
He admitted: “I can’t put it into words.
“No-one could even dream they could train 100 winners, and for Patrick to ride it as well. It’s just fantastic.
“I said when I trained my first here with Tourist Attraction (in 1995), it was a lifetime achievement so I am just absolutely stunned we have come this far.
“I have such a wonderful team, headed by my wife Jackie, Patrick, David Casey, and all my head people. The whole operation is just incredible.”
Patrick added: “It’s unbelievable, something I could never dream of. I’m just so privileged to get to ride the 100th for my father…it’s a very special moment.”
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But despite Mullins becoming the king of the Festival, he lost out when the the queen of Cheltenham met the Queen of England – as Rachael Blackmore starred in the Champion Chase.
Brilliant Blackmore steered Captain Guinness home as hot favourite El Fabiolo fluffed his line.
Henry De Bromhead’s nine-year-old has long been the bridesmaid in these big races but he finally got over the line.
Fair to say, though, he got a big slice of luck in the process when El Fabiolo pulled up.
A rare blot for Mullins’ team saw the long odds-on shot make a shuddering error and almost come down at the fifth fence, with Paul Townend pulling him up sharply.
That threw the race wide open and, after Alan King’s Edwardstone took a tired fall two out, it left Captain Guinness to stride away up the hill.
No doubt, it was an underwhelming renewal of the race, with Jonbon also ruled out through illness.
Blackmore couldn’t care less, though, and she said: “He is such a tough horse — and he really deserved to win a race like this.
“He travelled beautifully for me, if you could bottle up this feeling you’d make an awful lot of money. It was wonderful to see Camilla.”
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “El Fabiolo’s unfortunate mistake was the crucial moment of the day for the bookies and was absolutely massive saving us a seven-figure payout.