- Willie Mullins clinched his 100th victory as a trainer in the Champion Bumper
- Son Patrick rode Jasmin de Vaux to victory to reach the iconic milestone
- His first winner as a trainer came back in 1995 with Tourist Attraction
Willie Mullins became the first to train 100 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, after Jasmin de Vaux – ridden by his son Patrick – clinched victory in the Champion Bumper.
The legendary trainer had a strong chance of accomplishing the feat in this race as he had eight runners in the race.
He moved onto 97 career wins on Tuesday after triumphs for Gaelic Warrior, Lossiemouth and State Man.
Then on Wednesday, he claimed the first two victories of the day, before Jasmin de Vaux brought him to triple digits.
By reaching the historic number, he now has 37 more wins than any other trainer.
Willie Mullins has now trained 100 Cheltenham winners after taking the final race of Day two
Willie’s son Patrick was the jockey of Jasmin de Vaux who clinched the trainer’s landmark win
Mullins tips his hat for the cameras after achieving his iconic victory on day two at Cheltenham
Mullins (pictured at Cheltenham in 2004) won his first race as a trainer back in 1995
Among his most famous victories was with Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy in 2011 and 2013 (pictured with jockey Ruby Walsh after their 2011 win)
After achieving the feat, he said: ‘It’s a wonderful day, it’s fantastic.
‘I thought my lifetime achievement was when I had a winner here in Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle back in 1995 and who ever dreamt any trainer, never mind me, could do it.
‘The team of owners we have helped and I can’t train winners without a team of owners who have horses and then the team from my wife Jackie, to David Casey, Patrick, Ruby (Walsh), all our head people, it’s huge for them.
‘I think they are probably going to enjoy it more than I will. It’s extraordinary stuff.’
Mullins had been expected to take his 100th win in the Champion Chase only for overwhelming favourite El Fabiolo to falter during the race.
But he only had to wait two races later to reach the figure and he was pictured tipping his hat to the cameras after reaching the milestone total.
His very first victory as a trainer came nearly 30 years ago with Tourist Attraction in the 1995 Supreme.
Among his more famous victories at Cheltenham was with Hurricane Fly, who clinched the Champion Hurdle trophy in both 2011 and 2013.
Mullins smiles after Ballyburn won the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle earlier on day two
The 67-year-old trainer started off Wednesday with Ballyburn justifying favouritism, making impressively light work of the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle
He then moved onto 99 wins when Fact To File claimed the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Jasmin de Vaux was ridden by his son Patrick, while Mullins Snr won the Champion Bumper as a jockey himself back in 1996 on Wither or Which.
