March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n“The horses have been in tremendous form (this evening), we\u2019ve not had anyone kicked yet! It\u2019s amazing because when they came back from Cheltenham they were so well in themselves, in fact on the gallops this morning I gave them an extra mile because they\u2019d be fresh down here, but they behaved so well. It\u2019s unbelievable.”<\/p>\n
Mullins left Prestbury Park with eight winners and said of the week: “Cheltenham was incredible, it probably wasn\u2019t our most profitable winter and things were very slow to get going, but they came right at the right time.<\/p>\n
“We just had a brilliant Cheltenham, what more can you say?”<\/p>\n
Mullins has yet to nominate plans for the rest of the season, however, and for now is just keen for the dust to settle.<\/p>\n
He said: “We haven\u2019t thought about anything, it sometimes takes a week to 10 days to find out how the horses really recover from that meeting, they look fine the following day then a week later you might find something, a pulled muscle or something. We\u2019ll wait and see where we go.”<\/p>\n
Mullins also reiterated his admiration for Townend, who is now out on his own in terms of Gold Cup successes.<\/p>\n
He said: “Paul is an extraordinary rider, he\u2019s very understated and I think he\u2019s been underrated for a lot years, but now he\u2019s truly made his mark. To be the winning-most rider in the Gold Cup in his own time, that\u2019s legendary stuff, I think.”<\/p>\n
Also a proud onlooker was Joe Chambers, racing manager to the Riccis.<\/p>\n
“It shows how much of a following Willie\u2019s yard has in the locality (the crowds that came to see the horses), it\u2019s not just an isolated business stuck in a corner \u2013 there\u2019s a trickle-down effect. It\u2019s wonderful to see it. The (Lord) Bagenal (Inn) is doing well out of it and all the pubs have a few people in them. It\u2019s lovely to see,” he said.<\/p>\n
![\"13](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/00241531-614.jpg\"\/)
\nJockey Paul Townend (L) celebrates with the trophy alongside winning trainer Willie Mullins<\/p>\n
Of the decision to go for the Gold Cup, Chambers explained that while like Ricci he was in favour of a Gold Cup bid, the final call always rested with Mullins.<\/p>\n
He went on: “I was always in that camp, and so was Rich \u2013 we had a chat with Willie after the DRF and a few weeks out from Cheltenham, but the last thing we want to be doing a fortnight before Cheltenham is to annoy him every day of the week, he has enough going on.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ve said it a while, he is the horse we have with the most ability, it\u2019s just about channelling it.”<\/p>\n
He added: “We may have thrown a few quid at it, but we\u2019ve struck on a few nice horses and there\u2019s probably only one of the younger stock that disappointed us at Cheltenham and everything else has a future. We\u2019re trying to find horses that will endure. Gaelic Warrior sounds like he\u2019s been around forever, but he is only eight.”<\/p>\n