Cheltenham: How Willie Mullins became the Festival’s greatest trainer

WILLIE MULLINS was already the Cheltenham Festival’s most successful trainer ever. Now he can claim to be its greatest after Energumene won a dramatic Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

This was the one major race to have eluded Ireland’s record-breaking champion trainer who took his tally of Festival winners to 81 after this battle-hardened two-mile chaser prevailed on rain-soaked ground.

Perhaps the only disappointment is that this championship race – billed as a rematch between Shishkin and Energumene following their epic clash at Ascot in January – did not live up to the hype or expectation.

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Two months ago, the Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin prevailed in a thriller. Yet, on watered ground which then became heavy following a prolonged deluge, the previously unbeaten chaser was under pressure going to the first because of the gruelling conditions.

Energumene ridden by Paul Townend go on to win The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.Energumene ridden by Paul Townend go on to win The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Energumene ridden by Paul Townend go on to win The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.

He made a succession of uncharacteristic jumping errors under jockey Nico de Boinville who wisely pulled up the horse after the sixth-last fence – with Henderson saying the run was entirely “ground related”.

At the very next obstacle, the pacesetting Chacun Pour Soi, a multiple Grade One winner also trained by Mullins and ridden by his son Patrick, crashed out, totally changing the complexion of the contest.

Immediately, Energumene took closer order under Paul Townend and he proved to be a worthy winner from the outsider Funambule Sivola who enjoyed a fine ride from Charlie Deutsch just over an hour after he won the Grade One Brown Advisory Novices Chase on L’Homme Presse.

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Former winner Politologue was retired after finishing a gallant fourth.

Trainer Willie Mullins on the gallops during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse before saddling Energumene to win the Queen mother Champion Chase.Trainer Willie Mullins on the gallops during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse before saddling Energumene to win the Queen mother Champion Chase.
Trainer Willie Mullins on the gallops during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse before saddling Energumene to win the Queen mother Champion Chase.

“We just thought we got the tactics completely wrong at Ascot so the plan today was to follow Shishkin,” reflected Mullins.

“The problem Paul then had was you could see, after two fences, Shishkin wasn’t handling the ground so it then became a case of when was Paul going to forget about Shishkin and ride the race.

“Nico was wise in pulling Shishkin up; you could clearly see he hated the ground.

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“I was very disappointed to see Chacun Pour Soi go out of the race when he did. I was gutted for Patrick [Mullins] because he appeared to be loving it.

Paul Townend celebrates winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on Energumene during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.Paul Townend celebrates winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on Energumene during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on Energumene during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.

“He might have given him a race. At every stage, though, Energumene seemed to be cantering and these extreme conditions suit him. He probably has more speed than we thought, at Ascot we felt after the race we should have waited rather than make all.

“That was the only plan I could come up with to turn the tables on Shishkin. It was a bit of an anti-climax for the neutrals but it was more nerve-wracking for me because you could see he was travelling the whole way.”

He added: “It’s great to finally win it, it’s great for Paul and great for Tony Bloom [owner]. When the rain came he began to get very confident.”

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And the significance of the victory was not lost on the aforementioned Townend who, for years, was understudy at the Mullins stables to the imperious Ruby Walsh.

Energumene ridden by Paul Townend (centre) on their way to winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.Energumene ridden by Paul Townend (centre) on their way to winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Energumene ridden by Paul Townend (centre) on their way to winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase during day two of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.

“Riding a Champion Chase winner for Willie – Ruby didn’t leave many behind him but we are glad to pick up what scraps he left!” he said.

However, there was agony when dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll was beaten by stablemate Delta Work in the final strides of the Glenfarclas Cross County Race.

This was Tiger Roll’s final race before reitrement and the five-time Festival winner appeared to be on course to record a fairytale sixth victory at Cheltenham’s flagship fixture thanks to a masterful ride by Davy Russell on unsuitably heavy ground.

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There were light-hearted boos from the crowd as Delta Work – trained, like Tiger Roll, by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown House Stud – prevailed.

How fitting, therefore, that both horses were led into the winners’ enclosure as Cheltenham said an emotional farewell to one of its all-time favourites.

Owner Michael O’Leary said of Tiger Roll: “This is his send-off – he owes us nothing. He’s been wonderful to come back here for the six, seven, eight years. He’s been the horse of a lifetime and, in many ways, Cheltenham has been his spiritual home. He’s won five times here in Cheltenham.

“I know he’s won two Grand Nationals, but he started here in Cheltenham. He’s a legend.”

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