Willie Mullins: the ten key horses in his title triumph

More than 80 horses have won prize money for Willie Mullins this season to help him achieve an epic triumph in the British Trainers' Championship.

The £340 that Risk Belle picked up for finishing eighth in the County Hurdle proved neither her nor there, but every little helps in a year long contest.

Here have been Mullins' key winners.

The eight-year-old powered to an emphatic success in a thrilling Randox Grand National at Aintree this month. It was the first time he had run in Britain since finishing fourth in the Brown Advisory Chase 13 months earlier, when  scooping under £10,000. 

The outstanding stayer retained his Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup with a flawless display under Paul Townend last month. His victory cappd an incredible meeting for Mullins. 

With Constitution Hill ruled out, the door was wide open for State Man to go one better in the Unibet Champion Hurdle and he took full advantage. The winning time was 4min13sec, meaning State Man had earned more than £1,000 per second. 

His dramatic victory over Bob Olinger and Langer Dan  in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle t Aintree was only confirmed after a lengthy stewards’ enquiry. Some believed the stewards would demote him to third and promote Langer Dan, trained by Dan Skelton, to second. But they didn’t. If they had, Mullins would be £140,000 worse off with Skelton in the present standings. 

Her two smooth wins at Cheltenham, in the Unibet Hurdle in January and then Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle in March, were a joy to watch. She is the only Mullins-trained horse to win twice in Britain this season. 

The six-year-old novice was a big drifter in the betting for the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr but those who ignored the market were rewarded as he pipped Surrey Quest by a nose. Mullins was also res[onsible for the fourth, fifth and sixth, enabling him to scoop another £18,580. 

A few jumps out to the right could not precent the exciting seven-year-old beating his rivals in the Brown Advsory Novices’ Chase with authority. 

Gaelic Warrior had been beaten at the Cheltenham Festival for the previous two years but the sometimes erratic six-year-old put up a sumptuous display to win the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase. Mullins also had the third and fifth, picking up another £23,000. 

Finished a valiant second to Captain Guinness in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. This was a story of what might have been, though, as El Fabiolo was long odds-on to scoop the first prize of £237,000 first prize for Mullins, only to be pulled up after an early blunder.  

Last, but not least. This was the cherry on the cake for Mullins. Having just been officially crowned champion trainer, Minella Cocooner scooped the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park under Danny Mullins.

Mullins was responsible for the first five home in the Grade 1 contest at Cheltenham, earning more than £130,000. The brilliant Ballyburn led his team home. All were in different ownership.