Normal service resumed as four-star Willie Mullins hits back at Cheltenham

Casting a spell at the Cheltenham Festival has rarely proved a problem for Willie Mullins and after a miserable first two days, the master trainer worked his magic to roar back with a sensational 179-1 four-timer.Having been left frustrated with the likes of Limini and, in particular, the mighty Douvan being beaten, it was very much a case of the empire striking back as the Closutton handler stole the limelight from his Irish counterpart Gordon Elliott.Elliott who, with five winners on the board, threatened to leave Mullins toiling in his wake, could only look on as Nichols Canyon, Yorkhill, Let's Dance and Un De Sceaux hit top spot, all with the assistance of Ruby Walsh.Reflecting on his day, Mullins, who reached the 50 Festival winners mark with Un De Sceaux, said:"I wouldn't like to tell you what was going through my mind last night, but on the other side of that coin, when we analysed all the runners, apart from Douvan we didn't have any other runner that should have won."Maybe the Mares' Hurdle could have been different if we'd had different tactics, but they were beaten by Apple's Jade and there's nothing wrong with that, either."We were worried ourselves whether there was something wrong, but we said 'there can't be anything wrong, they're finishing second, third and fourth'. Douvan was the only blip, really."All I wanted was to get on the board. I sort of had Yorkhill in my mind."People expect us to have winners here, we just hope to have winners here and have huge respect for the place."The centrepiece of that accomplishment belonged to an unlikely hero in Nichols Canyon, who at last gained the recognition his talents deserved with a battling three-quarter-length victory in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle.While the win was a fifth in the race for Walsh, and owner Graham Wylie's fourth after three for Inglis Drever, it was an inaugural triumph in the three-mile Grade One contest for Mullins.He said: "He is like Hurricane Fly, he just gets down and grinds it out. Ruby and him were made for each other, especially in a battle like that."He is a horse that has that bit of class, as he has won several Grade Ones before this so we reckoned if he fired on the day he could do it. I wasn't coming here today thinking he was going to win. It was some performance. I didn't particularly think the three miles would suit."The first one (Yorkhill) was relief and the second (Un De Sceaux) was great, but this was pure joy as it was unexpected and they are the winners to have. When you don't expect it, you can really enjoy it."