Willie Mullins tells us his Cheltenham dream: ‘All I want is a winner on the first day’

2015 marks 20-year anniversary of Mullins' first Cheltenham winner

In the annals of the success enjoyed by Willie Mullins as a jockey, and now as one of the finest trainers in the world, Tourist Attraction is a mere footnote. However, for the Kilkenny native the name will live long in his memory as it brought him his first ever winner at Cheltenham in 1995. His maiden success in the Supreme Novice hurdle, at odds of 33/1, was to begin a run of 33 victories to date in the annual jump racing jamboree. Mullins made his first trip to Cheltenham with father Paddy over 40 years ago and says that everything the yard does is in preparation for the event:

'My first trip over was in the 1970s and it was great fun. Even then the Irish loved Cheltenham and there was always huge crowds going over. Then when my father was bringing over Dawn Run it was fantastic times as well. Apart from Punchestown it was probably the biggest week of the year when you were coming from Ireland.'

Mullins is set to bring almost 50 horses over for this year's festival which gets underway on the Tuesday March 10 and runs for the four days until the climax of Friday's Gold Cup action.  Mullins explains that he has much more faith in how well his horses travel now compared to his first trips abroad on planes:

'You went to Dublin airport and you waited and they were loaded up on some rickety old planes. Air travel was much cheaper than any other way at the time but depending on the pilot you got, the horse could be back on its backside from liftoff until almost you hit the tarmac in England again. There are some people who are able to drive livestock and pilots are no different. Now going in our box on the ferry is much easier.

Mullins is the most successful Irish trainer at Cheltenham and will be looking to add to his impressive record with horses such as Boston Bob, Arctic Fire, Faugheen and the irrepressible Hurricane Fly all set to take on the famous course next month. Irish racing fans flock in their thousands to be part of the atmosphere at the track, and Mullins feels that it's easy to explain our fascination with Cheltenham:

'Racing is just special to Irish people, especially jump racing. When Cheltenham came on TV in the 1960s and you had Arkle there and he was such an iconic figure, people just gathered round the box to see him win two or three times. An Irish horse going over there to beat the Old Enemy at their own game in their own backyard is always special.'

Over the course of 20-odd years Mullins has enjoyed more highs than lows at the festival and he still has many great memories of days at the track through his own wins and extended family success:

I loved Dawn Run winning the Gold Cup in 1986, even my old good days with our first winner, and then with Patrick winning races too, especially on Cousin Vinny was a fantastic day. Istabraq winning his third Hurdle as well was a great day just for Irish people as well.

To the action on the track itself and Mullins' entourage carries the hopes of not only many Irish punters but also the tag of favourites for many of the top races at the festival. Annie Power arrives to Cheltenham having been entered into two races,the OLBG Mares' Hurdle and the World Hurdle but her trainer admits that the three-mile trip may be a little bit too taxing:

'Chances are she's going to go for the Mares' hurdle. Everything is going well at the moment and maybe running a horse first time out for the season on three miles could be too much of task for the World.'

Champagne Fever is arguably the form horse for Mullins ahead of the trip across the Irish Sea next month. The horse stormed to victory on Valentine's Day at Gowran Park in the Red Mills Chase on a course that Mullins rates as a great barometer for Cheltenham. The trainer feels that the horse is ideally primed for the Champion Chase.

'It was more the way he won at Gowran that really struck me and how he took the race. It gave him great confidence and even after the race, normally horses are tired but his ears were pricked and he really enjoyed himself, jumping and running. Horses do enjoy winning believe it or not and he has great confidence from that.'

One of Mullins' mounts that will be making a long-awaited Cheltenham debut next month with be Un De Sceaux. Ever since it was announced that the horse was transitioning to fences, the talk has been of his arrival to prime time racing in March. Mullins has no concerns about the horse trying to take to the course as well as the fences:

'This time last year we brought him to France instead of Cheltenham where he won. He's well used to travelling and we would be a little concerned jumping fences for the first time in England, it is daunting. He's done everything right so far and if he gets out and jumps the first few fences then he'll be fine after that.'

Un De Sceaux may be one of the new breed of superstars on the books in Carlow but Mullins has high regard for one of his most famous stable stars. Hurricane Fly has enjoyed somewhat of a career renaissance since his disappointment in last year's Champion Hurdle when he finished fourth. Mullins has no concerns after beating rival Jezki twice in quick succession in December and January:

'Hurricane Fly is great. He's been in great form all season and he stays right for the rest of it. I'm delighted more than surprised at how he has been recently. The ability was always there but it was more whether he still wanted to do it or not. He just seemed to get tired in the second half of last season and he was going through the motions more than with any zest. We've changed our training with that in mind to keep the pep in his step. He enjoys the variety.'

Despite being Ireland's most successful trainer at Cheltenham Mullins has never got his hands on the feature - the Gold Cup. He has come second four times in his career, with his most recent near miss coming just last year as On His Own missed out to Lord Windermere in a frantic finish. He's settling for three runners for Friday's showpiece,

'We've got Djakadam, On His Own and Boston Bob. The later two had disappointing runs in the Hennessy but Djakadam's run in the Thyestes in Gowran was fantastic and he did really well. It's not our luckiest race, we've been second four times, so we just hope that we hope to go one better this year.'

Mullins retained jockey is Ruby Walsh who will be hoping once again to bring plenty of joy to Mulins and to punters. Paul Townend and David Casey are also likely to feature for the trainer as he looks to spread his options over the four days. The meeting will be the last to feature AP McCoy. Mullins doesn't think the Antrim man will get a fairytale send off from his colleagues.

'People think we're going over to saddle five or six winners. But I know what it's like to go over and have no winner. Tony McCoy knows that feeling too. It's tough, just because it's his last year doesn't mean they'll be opening up the inside and say 'c'mon Tony ride a winner for the punters'. He'll be killed everywhere he pokes his nose and it's very tough racing. He's just an iron man, he got so many falls but he just bounced up. He has this huge drive to ride winners.'

Paul Townend has been tipped as McCoy's replacement under JP McManus with a number of other jockeys also in line to take up the mantle from the Irishman. Mullins feels whoever does take the reins has a hard act to follow,

'I'm sure a lot of guys will be delighted to see him go but how will they replace him? There's talk about certain guys but I think it will take at least two people to replace him with the amount of horses under McManus.'

So out of 50 horses where should Irish punters be looking to scoop the bookies and maybe make themselves some money over the four days. Mullins' horses normally don't provide too much value but he feels that bookies may have missed a trick for the Champion Hurdle.

'If you want to back an outsider in the Champion Hurdle then you can't forget Arctic Fire. He is just up behind Jezki and Hurricane Fly everytime and I think he's 16/1 or so and I think he's going to improve. He was only just beaten in the County Hurdle last year at Cheltenham.'

The countdown is very much on for Cheltenham and of course there can be late changes but for Mullins, on the eve of marking a racing milestone in the Cotswolds, he's got a very simple wish for the next two weeks:

'The whole aim is to get to Cheltenham. We're preparing them and everything for the moment is in the pot and trying to keep horses sound and jockeys sound and make sure they don't pick up any suspensions before the festival. Those things are crucial. What everyone wants is to try and get a winner on the first day. I'd love to see Hurricane Fly winning and if we got two winners it would be great to get a Gold Cup. Not asking for much, a Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double.'