It was almost fitting that Willie Mullins brought up the 4,000th winner of his training career on Cheltenham Trials Day in January, ‘almost’ because although the landmark success arrived the same afternoon, it actually came at Fairyhouse, across the Irish Sea.
Any gripe, though, would be violin stuff, since Mullins has enjoyed more than his fair share of that haul at Prestbury Park, 88 of them at the Festival itself, more than any other trainer in history.
