Sir Gerhard (4-6 favourite) powered to victory in testing conditions in the Grade One Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Baring Bingham), the opener on the second day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
Mullins' decided to bypass the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival to wait for this and it paid off with victory under Paul Towend, as the seven-year-old scored in good style.
Sir Gerhard won the Champion Bumper, under Rachael Blackmore, last year and after two wins earlier this season, he continued the unbeaten start to his hurdling career.
Journey With Me, under Blackmore, cut out much of the running in the 2m5f contest with Sir Gerhard sat just off them.
Then on the turn for home Sir Gerhard moved to the lead. And as Journey With Me took a crashing fall at the the final flight, Sir Gerhard powered over it and up the Cheltenham hill to score by three-and-a-half lengths from Three Stripe Light (8-1) with Whatdeawant (18-1) nine lengths back in third.
Victory gave Mullins a record fifth win in the race and the Irish a seventh triumph in the past eight seasons.
Mullins, who was also having his 80th Cheltenham Festival winner, said: "I'm absolutely delighted with that. He did everything we thought he might do.
"He was a little bit more free than I thought he would be, but then there was probably very little pace. Anyway, Paul kept a lot in reserve and he won as he liked.
"He jumped like a professional the first day, wasn't so good the second day and then jumped like a professional today. There is obviously a little quirk in him, but he was fantastic today.
"You'd think he's a chaser, but could he be a Champion Hurdle horse? He could be.
"I think the rain is good for our horses. We felt the ground was good yesterday, maybe a little too good for us. It's proper National Hunt weather today, anyway.
"On yesterday's ground, if we were at home maybe we mightn't have run. I'm much happier with this.
"I wasn't disappointed with the ground yesterday. It just walked a little bit slower than maybe it rode on some of our horses.
"When you're breaking records it means the ground is fast, so there we are."
Richard Thompson, director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, was happy to welcome Sir Gerhard back in, despite getting soaked in the heavy rain.
He said: "My three sons went to watch it outside so I thought I'd better go watch it with them. What better way to see a winner, who cares about the rain when you've won a race like that? Fantastic.
"It's great to have all the options and we'll be discussing it in time, my instinct will go with what Willie says, as far as I'm concerned."
Winning jockey Townend added: "He showed his class, as keen as he was, to stay going. I was afraid going around that we were in the wrong race, but he showed his true ability to stay going.
"He jumped the best he has ever jumped on the course. His jumping the last day wasn't great, but he jumped well there."
L'Homme Presse grabbed an impressive victory in the Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Registered As The Broadway Novices’ Chase).
With trainer Paul Nicholls pulling the initial favourite Bravemansgame out due to the testing conditions following heavy rain throughout the day at Cheltenham Venetia Williams' seven-year-old send off the 9-4 market leader.
And his backers were paid out as he travelled superbly and stayed on best on his first try at the three-mile trip to score under Charlie Deustch.
L'Homme Presse is now unbeaten in his five starts over fences and looks an exciting staying chaser.
He is now 14-1 with Paddy Power for next year's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
L'Homme Presse, who had won the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase by 21 lengths at Sandown, vied for the lead early on with Ahoy Senor. He went to the front at the seventh of the 19th fences and never looked in danger of giving up that lead,
Irish raider Farouk D'alene, under Davy Russell, challenged on the turn for home but came crashing down.
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Ahoy Senor (4-1) stayed on to be three-and-a-half lengths back in second with Gaillard Du Mesnil (11-1) a further length-and three-quarters adrift in third.
Williams said: "I don't think I've felt so sick during a race, which is rare, but I'm really looking forward to watching it again. I couldn't be more thrilled.
"He's such a spectacular jumper and even though he was favourite, it was lovely to hear the crowd cheer every time he put in a big leap.
"I think this race was always the most likely, but the only thing which would have changed our minds was if it was going to be heavy ground and even this rain has made it just soft ground.
"The horse was recommended to Andy (Edwards) after two runs in France, but then he picked up a tendon injury so he had to be very patient.
"He didn't show a lot at home at first, it wasn't until about three weeks before his first run for us that he showed us anything but he's gone on and improved with every run."
Deutsch said: "He just travels easily, jumps well and he was just having a look around going to the line.
"It was the first time over the trip on the ground, but he just felt comfortable the whole way.
"It's just wonderful to have such a good season and then get a winner at Cheltenham. Venetia's done such a good job of just handling this horse and Andy, the owner, is so easy. He's very laid back and just leaves it to you.
"It's a huge moment for me, it's just wonderful and I'd like to thank anyone who has helped me."
Owner Edwards added: "I burst into tears when he went over the line, that's for sure! I was very calm all the way through and as soon as he jumped the last, that's when the emotions came out. We've always believed in him so it's just fabulous."
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Lucinda Russell, meanwhile, was delighted with runner-up Ahoy Senor.
She said: "I'm totally proud of him. He's grown up today. He's always won his races by jumping better than everyone else, but today he had to knuckle down and be a racehorse.
"He made a mistake along the way and the ground is probably not perfect for him, but there were no excuses.
"He's a good horse L'Homme Presse and well done to Venetia. She's a good mate, so it's nice she's won.
"Ahoy Senor is a lovely, lovely horse and I can't wait for next year."
Nicholls was disappointed to have had to pull Bravemansgame out, but he will now head for the Grade One Betway Mildmay Novices' Chase on Ladies Dday at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse next month.
Commander In Fleet was a 50-1 shock winner – the first for irish trainer Gordon Elliott – in the Grade Three Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.
Loving the rain-softened conditions, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned eight-year-old came out on top in a tight battle with fellow Irish raider, Martin Brassill's Fasterslow (18-1) by a short head.
The front-running Ashdale Bob (14-1) was a further six lengths adrift in third to make it a one-two-three for Ireland.
Philip Hobbs' Camprond (10-1) four-and-three-quarters-of-a-lenght back in fourth with Maze Runner (40-1) fifth.
Elliott was delighted to land a first winner of the week.
The County Meath handler said: "It's great to train any winner here, especially for Gigginstown and it's great for everyone in the yard.
"It might not have been one we were expecting but that is the game we are in, they are mostly running well. I often get to Thursday with no winner so we weren't panicking.
"I'd say the ground made the difference to this lad, and he was handy throughout. A lot of my others just couldn't handle the ground.
"The winner is obviously a good horse on his day. I don't know much about the jockey, but he's had a few winners for us and seems a nice fella.
"Every winner I train is important, whether it's here, Tramore, Downpatrick, I'm in this game just to train winners."
Owner Michael O'Leary, under whose Gigginstown House Stud banner the winner runs, added: "That was wonderful and it gets Gordon and Team Cullentra on the board.
"It was marvellous performance under that weight on ground that has gone very soft now.
"It was a great ride from Shane. I thought he had him in the right position the whole way round and he battled on up the hill.
"I think it's testament to not just Gordon but the whole team in Cullentra. They had a tough year last year, but they're back here with lots of good horses. The team work incredibly hard and this vindicates the hard work they put in last year."
