Cheltenham Racecourse is delighted to announce that Willie Mullins, the most successful trainer of all time at The Festival presented by Magners, has been inducted into The Hall of Fame at the Home of Jump Racing.

Born on September 15, 1956 in County Carlow, Mullins started out as a successful amateur rider, being crowned champion amateur in Ireland six times and partnering three winners at The Festival between 1982 and 1996. 

Mullins initially assisted his father Paddy Mullins, widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest trainers, responsible for superstars such as Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Unibet Champion Hurdle and 1986 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. He then became assistant to top Flat trainer Jim Bolger before taking out his own training licence in 1988.

Laurina’s success in the 2018 Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle made him the winning-most trainer ever at The Festival™ presented by Magners, providing a 61st victory, while his first came through Tourist Attraction in 1995.

Mullins said today: “I’m honoured to be inducted into the Cheltenham Hall of Fame.

“Cheltenham Racecourse has been a special place for me over the years and I feel privileged to join some of Jump Racing’s most iconic and famous names in the Hall of Fame.”

His list of The Festival™ presented by Magners winners includes some of Jump racing’s most iconic names, headed by; Florida Pearl, successful both in the 1997 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and the 1998 RSA Novices’ Chase; dual Unibet Champion Hurdle victor Hurricane Fly; 2015 and 2016 Unibet Champion Hurdlers Faugheen and Annie Power; Racing Post Arkle Chase and Ryanair Chase winner Un De Sceaux, Douvan, successful in both the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Racing Post Arkle Chase, and Vautour, victorious three times – 2014 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, 2015 JLT Novices’ Chase and 2016 Ryanair Chase.

Other stars from Mullins’ Closutton base to have graced Prestbury Park include the amazing Quevega, who created history by becoming the only horse to win the same race, the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle, six times and in consecutive years.

Mullins has sent out the winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper on an extraordinary nine occasions, starting with Wither Or Which (who he also rode) in 1996 and he became the first person to train the 1-2-3 in the Unibet Champion Hurdle when Faugheen beat Arctic Fire and Hurricane Fly in 2015.

He has been the leading trainer at The Festival™ presented by Magners five times (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and holds the joint-record for most winners trained at one Cheltenham Festival with eight successes in 2015.

Responsible for more than 3,000 winners overall, Mullins has taken Ireland’s champion Jump trainer accolade 12 times.