Watch: The Ultimate Willie Mullins Racehorse

has trained many of Jump racing’s greats over the past three decades or so. But what would the ultimate racehorse at Closutton look like?

Ahead of the Punchestown Festival, which gets under way a week today, we invited the trainer’s son and assistant, Patrick, to pick from the plethora of champions who have graced Closutton when it came to various attributes such as speed, stamina and jumping.

Put them all together and, with some certainty, we would be blessed with the perfect equine athlete.

With the stable having had more than 4,000 winners – more than of them achieved at the 100 Cheltenham Festival - nobody said this was going to be easy.

Two-time Gold Cup Al Boum Photo didn’t get a mention. Neither did the wonderful Vautour. And, whisper it quietly, Annie Power also found herself surplus to requirements.

But they couldn’t all get in, could they? And Patrick, much to his credit, resisted sitting on any fences. Here’s who he chose for what.

Races: 15. Wins: 12. 

“The horse that catches my eye every day is Energumene,” says Mullins. “He's a big, black, beautiful strong horse. He'd be the one I'd pick out.” 

And, of course, the two-time Champion Chase winner is not just a pretty face. Sadly, he’s been on the sidelines this season because of injury. 

Races: 18. Wins: 12. 

A brilliant racehorse with, it seems, a mind to match. Galopin Des Champs retained his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown last month and will be back in action at the Punchgestown Festival next week. 

“I think Galopin Des Champs 2.0 - not not the novice Galopin Des Champs,” Mullins says. “He’s a professional racehorse now. You've seen him doing his homecoming parade, when he was standing for pictures with kids on his back. And this year in the Gold Cup it showed you can ride him him anyway. He's the most professional we have.” 

Races: 19. Wins: 15. 

There was a glorious period between the end of 2014 up until the 2017 Cheltenham Festival when Douvan was untouchable. 

He reeled off 13 successive wins, including seven Grade One triumphs, and was in a class of his own. The 2017 Champion Chase looked a formality but he made early errors and hurt himself. The magic never fully returned. 

“Douvan had the most raw ability - no doubt about that,” Mullins said. “I rode him twice and both times I got the feeling he could could do anything.  For me, he was the Usain Bolt of horses.” 

Hurdle races: 32. Wins: 24. 

The former Flat racer won an astonishing 22 Grade One races, chalking up five Irish Champion Hurdle victories and two Champion Hurdle wins at Cheltenham. What set him apart? His pace says Mullins. 

“Hurricane Fly was the fastest,” he says. “I mean, look, he beat two Group One Flat winners when he won a Listed race [on the Flat] in France.” 

Races: 40. Wins: 5. 

Overall, Hedgehunter had a poor wins-to-run ratio, but you only have to say his name to conjur a smile from Jump fans. 

He ran in the Grand National on five succession occasions, romping home by 14 lengths in the 2005 edition and being runner-up a year later. Back then, the race was over 4m 4f and the fences had not been modified. He was also second in the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

“He won the Grand National back in the day when it was as it was before,” Mullins said. “His stamina would come in handy [when creating the ultimate racehorse from Closutton].” 

Races: 34. Wins: 23. 

The headstrong front-runner was a sight for sore eyes as he zoomed off in front and jumped his obstacles as if they were on fire. It didn’t always end well – he fell on a couple of occasions – but, mostly, he produced exhilarating exhibitions. 

Mullins said: “Un De Sceaux was a pleasure to watch, wasn't he? He was just so clever, so brave. The way he used to attack his fences. If they all jumped like him . . . ” 

Races: 25. Wins: 16. 

Quevega made history with her six successive victories in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. They were often achieved after lengthy lay-offs with adversary overcome. 

“This is a very tricky one,” Mullins conceded when asked to nominate just one horse for the category and numerous horses no doubt putting their hands up, saying ‘me, me’. “I've already mentioned Hurricane Fly Un De Sceaux, so I'm going to put Quevega in. Like the other two, when you look at her last couple of wins in Cheltenham she put her head down and ears back. She knew the aim of the game. She didn't want to get beat.” 

Races: 26. Wins: 17. 

The horse dubbed Faugheen The Machine, should perhaps have been rebranded as Faugheen The Versatile Machine. Five different jockeys guided him to top-level victories over a range of distances and obstacles, with Patrick 2/2 on him. 

“Gaelic Warrior is getting there [in terms of versatility] but for me I think Faugheen,” Mullins said of a horse who was retired four years ago with a decorated CV. “He won a Champion Hurdle, a three-mile Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown, he won over over fences. He won on good ground, soft ground, for good jockeys, bad jockeys. He had all the versatility.” 

Races: 49. Wins: 13. 

Evidently the now 11-year-old is a firm favourite at Closutton. He will always have a special place in Patrick’s heart, with the pair combining to win four successive editions of the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown. 

“It’s a personal preference but is a very friendly horse,” he says. “You could put your your child on him any day and he would look after them. He's a very kind horse.” 

And there we have it. An equine cocktail quite like no other. The Ultimate Willie Mullins Racehorse.