'A phenomenal achievement'

Powerhouse trainer Mullins secured a historic British and Irish Champion Trainers’ title this season - the first to achieve the feat in 70 years since legendary trainer Vincent O’Brien - and bagged nine winners at this year’s Cheltenham Festival as well as landing the Grand National at Aintree with I Am Maximus.

Waterford man David Casey, a successful former jockey, works closely alongside Mullins every day and has revealed the secrets behind the yard’s successes this season, which includes the trainer heading to the pub twice a week to put the world to rights, how he juggles having 200 horses at his yard at any one time and the one race Mullins has yet to win that he is desperate to land.

Willie Mullins winning the British trainers championship is a phenomenal achievement “In November the yard had had just one win in 12 starts in Britain. The fact it hadn’t been done for 70 years since Vincent O’Brien tells you how hard it is and what a phenomenal achievement it was.

Speaking to Kentuckyderbybettingsites.net he said, “Testament to the man and the fella that he is. It’s hard to think there’s ever been a more dominant jumps trainer.” “He set the standard, probably the greatest trainer of all time. To do what he did when he did it was remarkable. To be able to replicate that is magnificent.” He can match it next year - but we won’t lose sight of Ireland as a priority “He can. But I am not sure he will set out to do it. It’ll be a little bit like this year and see how the season is going. You have a look where you are maybe after Cheltenham and how Ireland is going. I think we would concentrate at home first, and not lose sight of that. Who knows after that.

“It can make it a little bit busy. But it depends on the type of horses you have and if you have them for the races. It makes it easier obviously if you do.” We had a few drinks in celebration with Ruby Walsh - but it wasn’t too wild “We had a few drinks at the races myself, Ruby [Walsh] and a friend of ours. I got back pretty early flying back from Heathrow because I was riding out on Sunday morning and we had declarations for Punchestown on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t be too wild as I had to be on the ball this morning. Willie was pretty much on the ball too. I don’t know how late he stayed or where he went. He was alive pretty early on Sunday morning.” Mullins does everything by eye - since the day I walked in, he has tried to improve every aspect “He does everything by the eye. He trains from the eye but not necessarily what you think they need to do. He might do something different with every horse.

“Since the day I walked into the place he has tried to improve the facilities and what does.

“He never ever stops learning and looking for the smallest thing that maybe will improve the quality of the horses and the yard. To where he came from to where he is now you can see that.

“He will go on for a good few years yet, as long as he wants to. At the moment he has the same enthusiasm as he did when I first walked into the place. Until that wanes why not keep going?”