Ballyburn made impressively light work of the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The 1-2 favourite was one of five runners for the all-conquering Willie Mullins and travelled strongly behind the leaders under Paul Townend.

When the field rounded the final bend there was no question whatsoever as to the outcome, with the Ronnie Bartlett-owned six-year-old strolling away from stablemate Jimmy Du Seuil to win by a yawning 13 lengths.

Teahupoo will look to strike when fresh in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle for Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old was beaten just three-quarters of a length in the same race last year and returned to action this season in good form to take the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle ahead of Impaire Et Passe at Fairyhouse in early December.

He has not run since then and is expected to benefit that as he is proven to go well after a brief break.

“We’re looking forward to Teahupoo in the Stayers’ and he seems in really good form,” said Robbie Power, racing manager to owner Robcour.

“It was a very good performance in the Hatton’s Grace and we’ve changed things up this year coming straight here.

“The big thing for him is he’s a better horse when he’s fresh and all his runs after a 50-odd day break he has won. We think that is the key to him.

“He didn’t get the rub of the green in the race last year and hopefully if things go well this year he will take plenty of beating. He deserves to win a Stayers’ and we’re giving him every chance.”

Elliott also runs reigning champion Sire Du Berlais, who followed up last year’s victory with success in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Flooring Porter landed the race in both 2021 and 2022 before finishing fourth last season, after which he switched to jumping fences in the first half of the current campaign.

He was not without success as a chaser but connections ultimately decided to return to the Stayers’ Hurdle in a bid for a third triumph and veto the alternative option of the National Hunt Chase.

“He’s in good shape and we’re looking forward to it. I hope the ground dries out a little bit, I hope it’s not too deep, so we’ll see what happens,” said trainer Gavin Cromwell.

“He’s had a few schooling sessions over hurdles and they’ve gone well, he’s a very intelligent horse so I don’t see it (switching from fences) being a problem.

“When you see what Corbetts Cross (facile National Hunt Chase winner) did on Tuesday I’d say we dodged a bullet there and we’re happy to be running in the Stayers’ again.”

The British challenge is led by Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo, winner of the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot when last seen.

The seven-year-old beat Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher and Champ on that occasion and looks to be on an upward trajectory in a career that has already yielded seven wins from 10 starts.

“He’s in great form, I’m very happy with him and he has trained very well,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve had a great preparation, he’s just improved and improved for us.

“He doesn’t show a lot at home, everything he’s shown us is what he’s shown on the track and we couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“He’s won on everything, he won on good ground at Ascot and he’s won on heavy at Sandown last year so I can’t see that as an issue for him.

“We’ve our fingers crossed he can get his head in front.”

Jeremy Scott runs the hugely popular Dashel Drasher, with Emma Lavelle also set to saddle a fan favourite in the 12-year-old Paisley Park.

Winner of the race in 2019, he has run every year since and finished in third place in both 2021 and 2022.

Willie Mullins has three chances, with Sir Gerhard seemingly the leading hope as the mount of Paul Townend, while Asterion Forlonge will be ridden by Patrick Mullins and Janidil by Jody McGarvey.

Emmet Mullins’ Noble Yeats, the 2022 Grand National hero, will be partnered by Harry Cobden again after the duo beat Paisley Park to land the Cleeve Hurdle in January.

Joseph O’Brien runs Home By The Lee, with the field of 12 completed by Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One, three times a winner already this season.

“He seems to like this course and he has travelled over really well,” Gilligan said.

“He seems well in himself and although it is a big step up, I’m very happy with him and I think he will run with a lot of credit. I think he will run very well.”

Nicky Henderson has reacted to his overall poor results on the opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival by withdrawing several runners on day two, including Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase hope Jonbon.

Henderson went into this year’s Festival under a cloud following the withdrawal of Champion Hurdle title holder Constitution Hill and a disappointing run of form from his stable as a whole.

Luccia provided the Seven Barrows handler with a boost when finishing third behind State Man in the Champion Hurdle, but his other five runners on Tuesday were all pulled up.

Henderson posted on X: “I’m afraid we have had to make some very tough decisions following the very disappointing performances of all bar one of our horses yesterday.

“It was there for all to see that there is obviously something affecting nearly all our horses and consequently we have reluctantly decided that Jonbon, First Street and Kingston Pride will not run today.

“It is impossible to identify any reason for all the disappointments and none of these horses have given us any cause for concern and all yesterday’s runners were scoped clean post race and I am glad to say all are sound this morning.

“There will unfortunately be further non-runners on Thursday and Friday.

“I hope everybody will appreciate that we have to do this in everybody’s interests, particularly the horses. It is very, very disappointing for everybody.”

Among Henderson’s high-profile entries for the rest of the week are JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Gino and leading Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Shishkin.

Slade Steel was an impressive winner of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as the 2024 Cheltenham Festival got under way.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, the 7-2 chance travelled in the middle of the field and stalked the leaders before mounting a challenge on the turn for home.

Then he began to pick off the horses ahead of him and jumped into the lead before accelerating again up the hill when strongly challenged by Mystical Power, taking top honours by a length and a half.

“I’m delighted with him, Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team – they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and we need to just avoid him, so that’s what we did and it’s worked out really well for us,” said De Bromhead.

Paul Nicholls believes putting cheekpieces on Stay Away Fay for the first time could prove key to a second Cheltenham Festival success for his charge in Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old sprang something of a surprise when prevailing in last season’s Albert Bartlett as an 18-1 chance and has taken well to jumping fences this term.

He rallied gamely when scoring at Exeter in November and then stayed on strongly to get the better of the reopposing Giovinco at Grade Two level at Sandown over three miles.

Taking on open company in the Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park on Trials day proved just too stiff a test, as Stay Away Fay finished third behind Capodanno and The Real Whacker, who famously landed this prize 12 months ago when edging out Gerri Colombe.

However, Nicholls was far from discouraged and is looking forward to taking on much-vaunted Irish raider Fact To File.

The Ditcheat handler said: “He’s in good form and will run in cheekpieces, they will sharpen him up a little bit and he’s in good shape.

“The Cotswold run was perfect (as a prep run), he ran very well and he’s much improved since then.

“I just probably wish it was on the New course, which is a bit stiffer, but I can’t complain.

“They seem to think the Irish horse will win every race he starts in from now onwards and obviously he is a very good horse and people who know what they are talking about seem to think he’s a very nice horse, so we will have to see on the day.”

Fact To File was second in last year’s Champion Bumper, after which Willie Mullins opted to bypass a stint over hurdles and send him straight to novice chasing.

He was outjumped by American Mike when second at Navan first time out this term but was much more fluent over the obstacles when trouncing Champion Hurdle third Zanahiyr at Leopardstown over Christmas.

That set up a fascinating match with Gaelic Warrior at the Dublin Racing Festival and Fact To File had already got the measure of his stablemate when Paul Townend was unseated by that sole rival at the final fence.

Mullins said: “Fact To File has done everything right. His speed figure at the Dublin Racing Festival was fantastic.

“Someone told me at Christmas that in his beginners’ chase he did a huge one, I’m into what I see visually and the way they do it, but the run at Christmas it transpired was right and he doubled down on it.”

American Mike followed up his triumph over Fact To File with a disappointing effort at Limerick but returned to winning ways when stepped up to three miles for the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase back at Navan.

The seven-year-old was subsequently supplemented for this contest over the same trip and Gordon Elliott said: “We just thought it was the race to go for, so that’s where we’re going.

“He’s a good horse and we’re looking forward to running him. Obviously, Fact To File has gone the right way (since we beat him), but we’ll see how we go.”

Henry de Bromhead is hoping Monty’s Star can remain on an upward curve after he followed up a fair third behind Corbetts Cross at Fairyhouse with a convincing Punchestown victory.

“He’s in great form, he’s travelled over well and all is good,” said the trainer. “He won nicely in Punchestown and he’s progressing.”

Sandor Clegane was third behind Stay Away Fay in the Albert Bartlett last term and renews their rivalry after a couple of solid second-place finishes in graded company across the Irish Sea over fences, most recently when chasing home Embassy Gardens at Naas.

“He had a good run here last year and we’re hoping he’s in a better place,” said Paul Nolan.

“I think his last run, even though he was beaten a long way by Embassy Gardens, was a good run. He sort of went around on his own on the inside and we were delighted after schooling him last week. He took all his fences better and I think he’s a better horse than he has been all year.

“One of the best horses in Cheltenham this year seems to be Fact To File, Willie has spoken very highly of him and he’s going to be very hard to beat, but I think our fellow is there with a chance and I’m hoping we’ll be in the first three.”

Owner Andrew Megson hopes the true price of loyalty is a second Cheltenham Festival winner, as he seeks to reap the rewards of backing the in-form Ben Pauling.

The definition of loyalty is a strong feeling of support or allegiance and the Megsons have never wavered in their belief in Pauling – the man who delivered them an emotional first Festival success with Global Citizen two years ago.

Now, the enthusiastic Yorkshireman and his wife Jane are putting their trust in Pauling once again, as the on-fire Naunton Downs handler prepares the family’s three Festival runners for action in the Cotswolds.

“We’re very excited and also a little nervous, but at the moment all the horses are well, so we are all extremely excited, especially for the Supreme on Tuesday to start off with,” said Megson.

“We think Ben is a fantastic trainer and is a really nice guy, who we trust completely.

“We really admire how Ben and Sophie have backed themselves. Where they were before was a nice yard but you wouldn’t say it was state of the art and it was holding them back.

“They’ve gone out, bought a golf course and converted it to how Ben thinks a perfect yard should be, from the gallop to the American barns to the round gallop. It’s clearly cost a lot of money, but they have taken a big risk and backed themselves and we really admire that.”

He went on: “Ben is picking up some big races, winning a lot of races and is definitely hitting form at a good time.

“He’s a great guy with a great team and is always loyal to his people. The way that him and Sophie have invested in themselves and challenged themselves to get to the top is great. He’s a young guy with lots of ambition and he’s great to be around.”

Not only have the Megsons put complete faith in their trainer, but they have also backed his jockey Kielan Woods, who was aboard Global Citizen in 2022 and will partner all three of the family’s Pauling-trained Cheltenham runners this term.

Their support comes at a time when Woods has spent a significant amount of time on the sidelines, having received a 45-day ban for persistent whip offences.

However, despite Ben Jones shining aboard the Pauling string during Woods’ suspension and the financial services sector expert considering the loan of a calculator, there was never any doubt in Megson’s mind that the 31-year-old Woods would continue riding the family’s string.

He joked: “We’ve got a huge amount of time for Kielan and we think he’s a brilliant horseman and jockey – we would just be happier if he could count to six!

“He assures us now he’s learnt to count and we think he’s as talented as anyone. We hope we are loyal people and we want to stick by him. We’ve given him an abacus and told him when you get to six, stop.

“Kielan rode our only Festival winner and Ben trained our only Festival winner, it is days like that you never forget.

“Yes, Kielan seems to have fallen foul of the stewards but not for one minute have we thought about not letting him ride. If none of us made a mistake, life would be quite dull.”

With Pauling and Woods in place, it is full steam ahead in the quest for a second Cheltenham Festival winner, in an ownership experience that began at a charity dinner – and was assisted by a generous helping of alcohol.

Lured into syndicate life via a tour of Jonjo O’Neill’s Jackdaws Castle, Andrew and Jane were soon bitten by the racing bug and before long their light purple silks were a common sight throughout the winter.

And it was somewhat fitting that Global Citizen, who had given them a first graded success in the Dovecote as a six-year-old, would provide Festival glory in the twilight of his career four years later.

“I actually cried when Global Citizen won,” said Megson, reflecting on that Grand Annual triumph.

“It was quite an emotional day and we didn’t end up celebrating like we probably should. Firstly, we were shattered, and secondly, I had a meeting the following day which I couldn’t attend with a hangover, but I will never forget it.

“We had the nerves in the morning, then concerns about the ground and thinking we might not run, and then you are watching the race and you are in disbelief.

“I said to Jane, he’s going really well and when he came round the home bend he wasn’t off the bridle – and then you end up just shrieking and making an idiot of yourself.”

Now, the Megsons are eyeing another day to remember and head to Prestbury Park with some trump cards to play at a time their handler can do no wrong.

They will have a runner in the very first race of the meeting, where the highly-regarded Tellherthename could get the week off to a flying start, seeking to justify connections’ immense belief, as he takes on the might of Ireland in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Megson said: “Tellherthename would be the most exciting horse we’ve owned. We’ve always thought he was very special from the start.

“He did nothing at Aintree on Boxing Day but the ground was bottomless and he just couldn’t get through it, but we love him and he’s done everything we want – this will be his big test, the biggest test.

“The chances of getting a horse good enough to be competitive in the Supreme are low and we are very excited. God knows what the emotions will be like on Tuesday morning. When you have a runner in Cheltenham, it is all you think about.”

On day two at Prestbury Park, it would be fitting if lovable rogue Harper’s Brook could follow in the footsteps of Global Citizen and give trainer, jockey and owner a second Grand Annual in three years.

Meanwhile, in the Wetherbys Champion Bumper, taking Sandown victor Sixmilebridge will also represent the owners and is getting his connections excited ahead of his crack at Wednesday’s finale.

“We love Harper’s Brook and we’ve gone past getting frustrated with him because he has the unique ability of throwing away a race that looks impossible to lose,” added Megson.

“He’s pulled himself up two or three times and you just think ‘well why have you done that’.

“He’s getting quite a name now, but he has no idea what he’s doing and if he runs to his full potential, then he is a great horse.

“He is just as likely to win with his head in his chest as he is to pull himself up going down the hill. We just hope he remembers what winning was like at Sandown and he’s ready to do it again.”

On Sixmilebridge, he went on: “Ben and Kielan love this horse and we’ve all loved this horse from day one.

“He’s always had a bit of a bug and his trach wash has never been clean and when he ran at Sandown, Ben said his trach wash was still not perfect. But it was either run him and give him a try or we just put him away and hope things get better next season.

“He was backed off the boards and won pretty well, which we were thrilled about. It has blown the cobwebs out and his trach wash is now clean, so we’re pretty excited about him.”

Joe Tizzard will head into the Cheltenham Festival full of confidence after a big Saturday double at Sandown on Imperial Cup day.

Tizzard has enjoyed many great days in the saddle at Prestbury Park but is yet to saddle a winner at the showpiece meeting, with JPR One leading the Venn Farm charge in the opening day’s My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

After breaking his Grade One duck as a handler at the track on Trials day, he will now return to the Cotswolds full of optimism after Rose Of Arcadia’s (9-2) win in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase supplemented Scarface’s triumph in the previous Betfair Serial Winners Fund Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Tizzard said: “It’s always lovely to have a double on a Saturday full stop, but the weekend before Cheltenham is just what you need.

“It doesn’t just boost me, it boosts the staff, the owners, everybody. If you are struggling to find a winner it’s a different story, but that will just give the whole team a big boost and we’ll look forward to next week now.”

Tizzard was delighted to see the 13-2 scorer Scarface finally fulfilling his promise in his two-and-a-half-mile test.

“He’s improved for every run over fences and we’ve always held him in high regard,” said Tizzard.

“He’s got his confidence and after winning, it was a good run at Plumpton last time (when second) and even better again today now he’s got his confidence.

“Hopefully he’s at the right end of the handicap and I don’t know what we will do next. We just saw this pot and thought we would have a crack at this and thought the conditions would suit him.

“We’ll just have a think now and decide if we go to Ayr or we could hold on for the nice race over a bit further up at Ayr. There will be some nice races for him.”

Dan Skelton gained compensation for Faivoir’s near-miss in the feature Imperial Cup when picking up Listed honours with racecourse debutant Honky Tonk Highway in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

The 3-1 favourite had accounted for Ben Pauling’s useful Diva Luna in the pointing field and could now head to Aintree for graded action in the spring.

“Harry just felt the whole way round she wasn’t going and if you notice going through the wings of the first few, he actually sits down to hunt her along a little bit,” said Skelton.

“She has bundles of stamina and it was a very good point-to-point she ran in – Diva Luna who was second to her has won a Listed bumper at Market Rasen – so that was a sparkling bit of form in a point-to-point.

“When we started working this horse she didn’t exactly fire straight away and the more we’ve done with her, the better she has got. You saw there half-way up the run-in she ran around a bit, but she has a bit of fire in her belly not dissimilar to what Roksana had and the good mares like that.

“We would have high aspirations for her and whether she goes to Aintree or not, we will wait on the ground. We’ll keep her in training for it and see if it is appropriate.”

Skelton was another to register a double when Jet Plane landed a shock 22-1 success in the concluding betting.betfair.com Handicap Chase, while there was a rare jumps winner for Stuart Kittow, who saw his likeable filly Spiced Rum make most at odds of 13-2.

“We might go back on the Flat now, but she’s been on the go for quite a while, so I think when the ground dries up we will have to turn her out,” said Kittow.

“She obviously likes the softer ground. She took it up really easily and it’s quite stiff here and the softest part of the track is in the home straight. I think she actually jumped and travelled better where the ground was better down the back straight.

“She’s obviously still improving which is brilliant. She’s a nice dual-purpose horse.

“I have two jump horses, this one and Cornish Storm and he has been running nicely as well, so we’ve had a bit of fun this winter – makes a change from Wolverhampton at 9pm.”

Although growing up in touching distance of Prestbury Park, Noel George will be attempting to land a blow for France when Milan Tino becomes the first horse he will saddle at the Cheltenham Festival.

His father Tom George has sent out both Galileo (Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle, 2002) and Summerville Boy (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, 2018) to strike at the showpiece meeting from the Slad training base where George Jr learnt the ropes.

However, the younger George has swapped the Cotswolds for Chantilly, where alongside Amanda Zetterholm he has formed a formidable Anglo-Swedish training partnership that is taking French racing by storm.

It is the exploits of superstar chaser Il Est Francais that first alerted a British audience to George and Zetterholm’s training talents, but the JP McManus-owned juvenile Milan Tino is the source of the duo’s Cheltenham dreams as he prepares for a shot at the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle on the opening day of Festival action.

George said: “He did his last piece of work on Tuesday and worked very nicely. He is heading over on Sunday and we’ve got our fingers crossed for a good run.

“It’s our first Cheltenham Festival runner and it’s a real dream. The fact we are coming over from France with one with a live chance is really exciting.”

Milan Tino is no stranger to Cheltenham having visited twice already this season, each time finishing third and only having Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Gino and the highly-talented Burdett Road ahead of him in his most recent trip to Prestbury Park on Festival Trials day.

He has also finished in the money in competitive juvenile heats at Auteuil and George is hoping the handicapper has given the four-year-old a real chance of what can be classed as a rare Festival success for France.

“To start with he was off 136 because of his French form and the handicapper seems to think off his English runs he is now 126, so I hope we have a few pounds in hand I guess,” continued George, with Milan Tino a best price of 8-1 at Cheltenham.

“Sir Gino I knew before from when he ran in the Prix Wild Monarch and he has always been a bit special and Burdett Road is also obviously a very good ex-Flat horse, so we go there with a live chance and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Jamie Snowden is excited to see Ga Law strut his stuff at the Cheltenham Festival after connections paid the required supplementary fee to add him to Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.

The eight-year-old is a dual winner over fences at Prestbury Park, landing last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup and another lucrative handicap on his most recent visit in late January.

Ga Law was not beaten when fifth behind Envoi Allen in last year’s Ryanair and as Snowden feels he is in a better place mentally and physically this time around, he was added to the field at Friday’s confirmation stage at a cost of £15,000.

“The original entries for the Ryanair came out before Trials day at Cheltenham in January and he was very impressive that day, winning off a big weight. The handicapper has now put up to a point where it makes sense to have a crack at this,” said the trainer.

“We were fifth in the Ryanair last year when we were perhaps not in the same sort of form that we’re in now. We obviously won the Paddy Power that winter, but we took a nasty fall in the Sky Bet Chase and he probably wasn’t in the same kind of form that he’s in now 12 months ago and he still ran a belter.

“We do feel he’s in far better order now and hopefully he can go a few places better.

“Obviously Envoi Allen won it last year and the reports are that he’s in great order this time around as well. It certainly looks a competitive race, but forgetting the opposition, we hope that we’re coming into it in far better form than we did last year.”

Ga Law and Envoi Allen are among 12 horses in contention for the Ryanair, with Banbridge, Star Star and Capodanno also among the leading contenders.

Willie Mullins has confirmed El Fabiolo for the two-mile-five-furlong contest, but he is expected to line up as a hot favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase the previous afternoon.

The other feature on day three of the Festival is the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott’s ante-post favourite Teahupoo one of 18 confirmations.

Elliott has also left in Irish Point, but has raised the possibility of him being switched to Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, while Flooring Porter is on course to bid for a third Stayers’ Hurdle after his trainer Gavin Cromwell confirmed his intention to switch his stable star back to the smaller obstacles.

Grand National hero Noble Yeats (Emmet Mullins) is another major challenger from Ireland, while the home team includes 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle hero Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle) and his Long Walk conqueror Crambo (Fergal O’Brien).

Grey Dawning (Dan Skelton), Ginny’s Destiny (Paul Nicholls) and Iroko (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero) are the three chief British-trained contenders for the opening Turners Novices’ Chase, with Willie Mullins leaving in Facile Vega, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah.

The Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle, meanwhile, promises to be one of the races of the week, with Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead, the Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy and O’Brien’s Dysart Enos all set to put their unbeaten records over obstacles on the line.

Willie Mullins has confirmed the newly-named Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle as Ballyburn’s Cheltenham Festival target, with Mystical Power and Tullyhill both bound for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Beaten by Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in December, Ballyburn subsequently bolted up over two and a half miles at Leopardstown before successfully reverting to two miles to strike Grade One gold at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.

The six-year-old has been at the head of ante-post lists for both the Supreme and the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle since that latter triumph and Mullins moved to clarify running plans on Thursday.

“Mystical Power will run in the Sky Bet Supreme and Ballyburn, all being well, will run in the Baring Bingham (Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle),” he told Sportinglife.com.

“Paul Townend will probably ride Tullyhill in the Supreme.”

Mystical Power, a son of Galileo out of Champion Hurdle-winning mare Annie Power, is two from two over hurdles and looks likely to be partnered by Mark Walsh, retained jockey for part-owner JP McManus.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Tullyhill was beaten at 1-8 on his hurdling debut, but has since registered two wide-margin wins at Naas and Punchestown respectively.

With Willie Mullins on the verge of an incredible 100 Cheltenham Festival winners, those who face the battle of taking him on could be forgiven for feeling a little resentment.

But there is not a bit of it from Gordon Elliott, perennially the runner-up to Mullins in the Irish championship and who comes up against him more than anyone else.

Rather than feeling hard done by or suggesting that Mullins is making the sport “boring” like many did after all eight Grade Ones at the Dublin Racing Festival went the way of the Closutton maestro, Elliott relishes the challenge and says the pair are pushing each other to new heights.

“I’ve been second to Willie eight or 10 years in a row (in the trainers’ championship). We’re definitely not making him better, we’re making him hungrier and he’s making us better,” said Elliott.

“I can’t have people whinging and giving out about Willie Mullins or whoever. These people giving out have chips on both of their shoulders. Willie sets the standard and we all have to chase him, make yourself better. There’s no excuse for not wanting to be the best.

“A couple of years ago we were the first to train 200 winners in a season and I think a week later he trained 200 and ended up beating us by eight or 10 that season.

“We’re in a great position and we keep training winners. We’re just probably unfortunate that we were born in the same era as probably the greatest trainer of all time. We’ll keep trying.

“The lads that know how hard it is to get to that level are not jumping up and down and shouting. The lads that are jumping up and down and shouting have had it all and let it all slip through their hands.”

Nicky Henderson is Mullins’ closest rival when it comes to Festival winners, but had a huge head start and has been left trailing in his wake somewhat with 73 winners to Mullins’ 94.

“No one would have ever thought that would be possible,” said Henderson of a possible century of winners for his great friend and rival.

“It’s a lot of races and we’ve been very lucky to win so many ourselves. I won’t say he has been luckier, but the ammunition he has these days is unbelievable.

“We are the ones who have to fight off the invasion and we’re outnumbered by Willie three to one at least, often four to one.

“You’ve got to have admiration, of course I do. But we’ve been very lucky ourselves and we have to concentrate on what we’ve got and what we can do. We’ve got a great team of people and horses and owners, and we’ve got to do the best we can.”

At the other end of the scale Fergal O’Brien is still searching for a first ever Festival win, but rather than moan about it, his daughter Fern has been over to Closutton this season as a work rider.

“I wouldn’t say she’s a spy, espionage we call it! Fern loves being there and loves working with those people,” said O’Brien.

“I’m lucky enough to have been and it’s a fantastic set up. People go on about Willie’s dominance, but it didn’t come overnight, he’s got a great system there, they’re great buyers of horses and he’s obviously a fantastic trainer.

“Fern is in a great place and I’m very proud of her.”

Robbie Power won the Gold Cup and Grand National as a jockey and is now attached to Henry de Bromhead’s stable. While he does admit Mullins’ dominance can be a little disheartening, he does at least run his best horses against each other regularly.

“I don’t see it as a problem, it is a little disheartening I suppose for a lot of people that Willie is so dominant but as the old saying goes, if you win in the sales ring then you win on the racetrack and Willie has been able to get all these horses – he has the owners, he has the ammunition,” Power told Boylesports.

“I suppose the one difference to the Flat with Aidan O’Brien for example, it’s all Coolmore whereas Willie’s runners are spread among five or six different owners. At DRF they all had Grade One winners and Willie is never afraid to have his runners take each other on, he often has three, four or five in the Grade Ones so it makes for competitive racing.”

Paul Nicholls knows this year’s Cheltenham Festival will be a poignant place with Keagan Kirkby “up there watching us” after the jockey’s tragic death last month.

Kirkby, a popular member of Nicholls’ Ditcheat team, died in a fall while riding at a point-to-point in Kent on February 4.

The 25-year-old was laid to rest on Tuesday with mourners in the Somerset village bedecked in the blue and white of Kirkby’s beloved Bristol Rovers.

Champion trainer Nicholls described Kirkby at the service as the “ultimate star player” and that his death had left “a big hole in that team”.

It has been a painful time for Nicholls following the death of Paul Barber, owner of his first Gold Cup winner See More Business in 1999, and part-owner of Denman, the 2008 champion.

Nicholls said: “It’s been tough from the day Keagan died but everybody has knuckled down and worked hard. Everyone is thinking of Keagan.

“It’s been a tough year for me, losing Mr Barber at the start of the season. It’s been quite hard not having him about this season and then losing Keagan.

“But the team have rallied together, everyone has worked hard and helped each other. It’s a young team and it’s been quite tough for a lot of them, but everyone has kept the winners flowing and we will all be looking forward to Cheltenham.

“I know Keagan will be up there watching us. He loved Cheltenham and anything to do with horses.

“He used to ride Blueking D’Oroux, Afadil, Firefly who won two days after he died, that was quite a poignant winner and he loved the game.”

This year’s Cheltenham Festival marks the 25th anniversary of Nicholls’ breakthrough into jump racing’s elite.

Flagship Uberalles got the ball rolling in the Arkle that year, Call Equiname landed the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and See More Business rounded it off with Gold Cup glory.

Nicholls’ team indeed partied like it was 1999 and, a quarter of a century on, he is two winners from reaching a Cheltenham milestone.

“When you start off as a trainer, you always want Cheltenham winners,” said Nicholls.

“I think it was eight years I’d been training and I hadn’t had a Cheltenham winner. Then I had three in a week, so that was a good week.

“Flagship Uberalles won the first day so I remember we went down the pub on the night, had a bit of a party and thought we’d best enjoy it.

“The next day Call Equiname won the Champion Chase so we repeated that and thought ‘we can’t believe this’. Then we won the Gold Cup the next day and I think I stayed there for a week!

“It was amazing, just amazing – you pinch yourself because you can’t believe it has happened.

“That kickstarted everything for us really and I hadn’t thought about it being 25 years ago. I think I’ve had 48 winners now, so it would be nice to get the 50.”

Nicholls is sending a streamlined squad into action at Cheltenham with quality rather than quantity appearing to be his Festival strategy.

Ginny’s Destiny, unbeaten in his last three starts over fences at Cheltenham, is a big hope for the Turners Novices’ Chase and Stay Away Fay – a Festival winner in last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – is a real contender for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Last year’s Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame is aiming to go one better in the main event, while Stage Star and Hitman are contenders in the Ryanair Chase. Captain Teague and Teeshan could also excel on the Gloucestershire course.

Nicholls won his fourth Gold Cup in 2009 when Kauto Star won his second.

He accepts life has become more difficult at Cheltenham because of Ireland’s firepower and the strength in depth that Irish trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott possess.

“It’s always hard to win at the Festival, it’s always competitive,” said Nicholls.

“You’re up against Gordon and Willie’s battalions, it’s got harder, but it’s all about having the right horses.

“We’ll probably have a dozen runners over the week, but they’re horses with chances. I’ve learnt over the years you want a small, select team of horses that have chances.”

On the prospect of replicating past glories, Nicholls said: “In those days we had Kauto, Master Minded, Denman, Big Buck’s, Celestial Halo.

“We had the right horses and with the right horses, you can compete. Like in any team sport, you need the right players.

“It’s a surreal feeling when you walk into the winner’s enclosure when you’ve won the Gold Cup, there’s nothing else like it.

“It’s unbelievable and that feeling drives you on and makes you want to do it again.

“They were amazing horses, but you have to move on and find the next generation, which hopefully we are.”

Willie Mullins is showing no signs of taking his foot off the accelerator as his Closutton juggernaut threatens to steamroll the opposition at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

There is very little to say about Ireland’s perennial champion trainer that has not already been said, particularly this season, when his stranglehold on the sport has come under increased scrutiny.

It is important to preface any analysis of whether the remarkable dominance of the Mullins machine is good for the overall health of the sport by stating no blame can be laid at the door of the man himself.

Indeed, Mullins deserves nothing but the highest praise for assembling what is surely the most formidable squad of equine talent National Hunt racing has ever seen.

The fact that all eight Grade Ones at the Dublin Racing Festival went to only one man gave further weight to the theory this is Willie’s world and the rest of us just live in it, and yet there is absolutely no evidence Mullins is taking his success for granted.

“I say every year, we find it extraordinary ourselves that these horses keep coming and I’m delighted,” he said at what has become an annual pre-Festival press morning at his yard in early February.

To visit Closutton is a pleasure and a privilege. Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola inviting several members of the media into their living rooms for coffee or tea and a generous serving of smoked salmon on a glorious Monday morning – it simply would not happen.

This is a man who is at the very pinnacle of his sport, and yet he comes across with the sort of down to earth charm of someone who would be quite happy to have a pint with you – and potentially drink you under the table if given the opportunity.

When it was put to him that some racing fans may find his seemingly never-ending flow of big-race winners “boring”, it soon became clear Mullins had already given the answer some thought.

He said: “We’re very lucky to have the team we have, but we buy horses from a selection of areas – France, English point-to-pointers, Irish point-to-pointers, the odd bumper horse and some stores.

“All those horses are available, I think, for everyone. Maybe we just get a bit luckier and maybe our riding team is good.

“It’s not as if we go in and plunder all the good horses out of France or out of England or out of point-to-points, clearly not. We very seldom partake in those sales, so I don’t know what to say.

“We just do what we do and I suppose it’s cyclical, isn’t it? England aren’t having the best time at the moment, but there’s some brilliant trainers there and some very good horses going to Cheltenham.”

There is no doubting that Mullins’ spending power is greater than most. Success breeds success and he now has several owners who are not shy in dishing out the big bucks in search of top honours.

However, he is certainly not the only trainer with multi-millionaire backers, so what is it that puts him so far clear of the chasing pack?

“My theory in life is if you’re not going up, you’re going down and I always look at and try to learn lessons from other sports and other trainers from over the years,” he went on.

“I’m always amazed how some trainers get to a pitch, really fantastic trainers, and then it comes down and I say ‘why, what did they do wrong?’. I look at that, analyse it and come up with our own answers.

“You look at teams in any sport, why do they win two or three leagues or All-Irelands or whatever they win and then go down? I look at that and try to put that into our game and get around that, which I think has been working so far, and that’s why we are where we are.”

Not only is Mullins hoovering up all the big prizes, but he is regularly filling out the places and, as seen at the Dublin Racing Festival on the odd occasion, saddling most, if not all of the field.

Again, it is difficult to argue such scenarios are “good for the game”, but that is not Mullins’ fault.

“My take on it is we run all the horses for individual owners, we get the horses ready for those big races and a lot of our first team didn’t win at the Dublin Racing Festival, the other ones won and I was delighted for them,” he said.

“I would say we probably compete in 45 per cent of the races (in Ireland) only. People say we dominate everything, but we don’t even run in a lot of races.

“I don’t think our dominance is any bigger than good Flat yards over the years, or other jumps trainers. Every generation, there’s a cycle of people at the top and I think it’s just nature taking its course – and it will with us too, as we get older.”

You could spend a whole day at Mullins’ yard and still not see every horse stabled there. There are barns beyond barns and the gallops can often resemble Piccadilly Circus, with horses coming at you from every angle and heading in different directions.

There is now room for around 200 horses to be in training here at any given time, dwarfing all but the biggest Flat yards. Mullins insists it has grown way beyond what even he had planned for.

“I’m amazed at the amount of horses we have, I didn’t want this many horses and I didn’t envisage having this many horses, but the opposition kept putting up the amount of horses and I said to stay relevant in the game, I have to get as big as the opposition,” he added.

“To stay on par in Ireland, we had to build more stables. Eighteen months ago, I was very happy where I was with a hundred-plus horses, but the thing has grown way bigger than I ever envisaged and it’s a lot of work.”

And so the focus turns to Cheltenham, a place where Mullins is king.

Next season’s Festival will mark the 30-year anniversary of the then small-time trainer’s first ever success at the showpiece meeting, when Tourist Attraction landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Wind the clock forward a few decades and he is now out on his own as the most successful trainer in Festival history with a staggering haul of 94 winners – and you have to go back to 2019 to find the last time he saddled less than the half dozen he now needs to reach a magical century.

On reaching the 100-mark, he said: “It’s not something anyone in racing ever thought of. Someone mentioned it last year and thought I’d go by that mark then, and often getting to the mark can be very hard.

“We’ve gone one or two days in Cheltenham without a winner before and no one is gifted winners in Cheltenham. It’s only when you go back every year that you remember how hard it is to win there.

“Everyone is so hyped up when they get to Cheltenham and it’s so tough, so we don’t go there expecting to win, we hope to win, I always say.”

Two of the trainer’s biggest guns for this year’s Festival are State Man and Galopin Des Champs, who will bid for Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup glory respectively.

Throw in novice hurdler Ballyburn and brilliant mare Lossiemouth and it is not difficult to see why Mullins will wake up every morning between now and then with a degree of trepidation.

“We’re lucky the team we have, but I’m always dreading a Monday morning and my phone goes off and it’s someone out in the yard telling me that we’ve got three lame horses. As long as I don’t see State Man, Galopin Des Champs and those type of horses, it’s fine,” he said.

“Someone said we’ve got 12 favourites. I always say any day you get a winner is a good day, but at least six of those will get beaten. I don’t know which ones, but I’d be delighted if six of them won.

“Suppose State Man and Galopin Des Champs went (injured), that puts a fair dent in your team and I’ve seen it here, if a good horse goes, the next thing the whole yard goes down, it’s amazing.

“We have so many and we’re just hoping that most of them can run true races. You take horses over and they can’t take the occasion, or they lose a shoe the night before. There’s different reasons for horses either being non-runners or failing to give their best performance.

“I’m just trying to get the team there in A1 order and hopefully the good ones come to the top.”

Mullins is keen to stress his operation is far from a one-man show, with his son Patrick, assistant David Casey and former stable jockey Ruby Walsh all major cogs in a wheel that never stops turning.

“We have the back-up team. I can sip tea with you all morning and they’re away working,” he added.

“Patrick looks after the staff, Grainne (Whelan, racing secretary) looks after getting the horses to Cheltenham and David Casey makes sure they’re in the right races.

“Between Patrick and David, they do all the race planning and when they’ve all that done, they come back to me and I would look at it and say ‘maybe we’ve forgotten one’. I just balance up what they do.

“I have my own judgement and then I have Patrick, Davy, Ruby and Paul (Townend). Everyone throws in their tuppence worth and we try to come up with the right answers.”

There was a major shock in the football world recently when Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made the shock announcement he was to take a break from the sport at the end of the season, citing a lack of energy for his decision.

When asked whether he can see himself suffering burnout eventually, Mullins said: “Of course I’m going to say no, because the moment someone says yes, you’re signing your own thing.

“I’m very happy with what we’re doing at the moment. I still enjoy it, as when it’s not work, it’s very easy to do, isn’t it?”

It is clearly not easy – never mind “very easy” – but nobody makes it look quite as straightforward as Willie Mullins.

Willie Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival and on the brink of registering a landmark 100th winner at the showpiece meeting.

He currently sits on 94 winners and if recent history is anything to go by, he is likely to bring up his century this year having been the leading trainer for nine of the last 12 Festivals

Here, we take a look at those most likely to take Mullins into a realm many would have thought impossible when his career began.

State Man (Champion Hurdle)

Constitution Hill’s defection has left the door open for Mullins to land the opening-day feature for the first time since Annie Power in 2016. State Man has won 10 of his last 11 starts, with the only defeat coming against Nicky Henderson’s ailing superstar in this race 12 months ago. February’s Irish Champion Hurdle success at the Dublin Racing Festival was his third Grade One triumph of the current campaign and this consummate professional has a happy knack of getting the job done with the minimum of fuss.

Galopin Des Champs (Gold Cup)

While Mullins treasures every Cheltenham winner as if it is his last, there is no doubt that having your biggest weapon in the blue-riband event among an arsenal of ammunition must be something of a comfort blanket. Things may be going smoothly now and he is coming in off the back of two utterly dominant performances, but Mullins deserves credit for getting him back to top form as he was beaten on his two subsequent outings after winning the Gold Cup last year. He is going to take some stopping.

El Fabiolo (Queen Mother Champion Chase)

Perhaps the best example of Mullins’ strength in depth is that his Energumene has been denied the chance to bid for a third Champion Chase through injury and yet the stable will still field the odds-on favourite for the race. Winner of the Arkle last year, he did have the tendency to make the odd mistake as a novice but in two runs this season, while he has not been forced to come out of second gear, his jumping has looked assured. With his major rival Jonbon blotting his copybook last time out, El Fabiolo will be a banker for many.

Ballyburn (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle/Gallagher)

While many love playing a game of ‘Mullins Bingo’ before the Festival, trying to guess which race his horses will run in, the form book says it is undisputable that Ballyburn is his best novice hurdler. His pedigree suggest he will stay three miles no problem, and he did win over two and a half miles by 25 lengths. However, dropped back to two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival he won a Grade One by seven lengths and that could easily have been doubled. Mullins has other novices that in different yards would be their best chance of the Festival, such as Tullyhill, Ile Atlantique and Mystical Power, but Ballyburn is surely Closutton’s best chance in those events wherever he goes.

Fact To File (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase)

When Mullins announced in the autumn that Fact To File was to eschew a hurdling campaign and be sent straight over fences, it was easy to be reminded of the ‘Florida Pearl’ route. Of course, the difference being that Florida Pearl, perhaps Mullins’ first really great horse, won the Champion Bumper while Fact To File finished second to A Dream To Share (as he had done at the Dublin Racing Festival). He was beaten on his chasing debut but November is always early for a Mullins horse and he has shown the last twice what he is made of, most recently when completely demoralising Gaelic Warrior, a stablemate who previously had looked imperious over fences. There is no doubt Fact To File is seen as a major Gold Cup contender next season.

Lossiemouth (Mares’ Hurdle)

The standout juvenile last season, the decision was taken to miss the first half of the term after Vauban, who represents the same connections, struggled against the very best in his second season over hurdles. Commentators of the sport did not seem to disagree with the decision, that was until a sparkling reappearance at Cheltenham on Trials day when she blitzed the field, albeit lacking any Champion Hurdle contenders. Mullins has not got to nearly 100 Cheltenham winners by over-facing his horses, though, and will be quite content to have a go at the big one next year with her, all being well.

Fergal O’Brien has been one of the most upwardly mobile trainers in recent years yet despite racking up the winners, there is one particular itch that he would love to scratch.

O’Brien, who trains locally to Cheltenham, has still to taste success at the four-day Festival and admits the fact he has yet to do so is beginning to annoy him.

However, he is sending his two stable stars to the meeting this year and is happy to take on the Irish battalion with Crambo in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Dysart Enos in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Speaking on a press visit to his yard O’Brien said: “I woke up this morning and thought I’ve 25 or 30 people coming, I could do without this on a work day two weeks before Cheltenham, but actually it’s what we do it for.

“We’re really excited. The Cheltenham Festival has been part of my life for the last 30 years and it’s the best week.”

O’Brien has finished second with the likes of Barney Dwan, Cap Soleil, Imperial Alcazar and Alaphilippe, with a couple of those in agonising photographs. But the near-misses have made him even more determined to stand in the hallowed enclosure as a winner.

“We went there two years ago with Imperial Alcazar and Alaphilippe and we’ve had exactly the same prep. We came away from both of those races having finished second, so disappointed they didn’t win, but not disappointed because we’ve had a great run-up to the race and if they get beaten they get beaten.

“All I know is if Crambo and Dysart Enos turn up in the form that they’ve been in since we’ve had them, whatever beats them is going to be a good horse and they deserve to win, so that’s where we are.

“We’ve had four Festival seconds, but I’d rather be finishing second than finishing nowhere. Hopefully we can put it right this year.

“It’s definitely a box that we have to tick and something that we need to do. Hopefully this year will be our year and if it’s not hopefully it will be next year – we’ll keep going.

“We’ve got great facilities, great staff and fantastic owners. I was with Nigel Twiston-Davies for 18 years and I’ve been in the game long enough to know that we’ve got all the ingredients here, we just need the right horse on the right day and hopefully it will be this year on Thursday, March 14!”

O’Brien has had a great ally since starting out on his own in Paddy Brennan, his old mucker from the Twiston-Davies days.

“It would be great for Paddy to ride our first Festival winner, but I think Crambo (who will be ridden by Jonathan Burke) is first and I don’t care which one of them wins!” he said.

“I’d be delighted for Paddy if we could get him a Festival winner, that would actually mean the world to us, to everyone here, he’s been such a big part of Ravenswell growing.

“He’s been a huge part of all of this here and hopefully whenever he decides to retire, I’m hoping he’ll still be a big part of Ravenswell Farm. He’s got a great eye for a horse, he’s an unbelievable race planner and is great with the other jockeys, so fingers crossed there’ll be a role there for him somewhere.”

O’Brien’s has not always been the sole name on the licence, for a short spell he joined forces with fellow trainer Graeme McPherson and the winners flowed. McPherson then went back on his own following an amicable split.

“We had a great time for a couple of years with Graeme and the numbers were there to show it – we had 141 winners last season, but spread over two sites it was very difficult, so it is much better,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve got a new barn here now and it’s fantastic. It works well, we’ve got some great staff and it’s just much easier having it all in the same place.

“When we came here we thought we might have 50 or 60 horses and tip away, but it’s gone well, it’s a great place to train. It’s a very simple routine and it works for us. Fingers crossed long may that last.”