Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls announced his arrival at the top table of British National Hunt trainers at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival, where he saddled three winners – Flagship Uberalles in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and See More Buisness in the Gold Cup – to collect the leading trainer award for the first time.

Following the turn of the century, he went on to dominate for a period, winning the leading trainer award five more times, in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. He has yet to do so again but, with 46 winners to his name, Nicholls remains the third most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicholls has won the Queen Mother Champion Chase six times, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Stayers' Hurdle four times apiece and the Champion Hurdle once. His most famous Cheltenham winner was Kauto Star, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, in 2007 and 2009, on the latter occasion becoming the first horse to regain his title after being beaten by stable companion Denman in the 2008 renewal. Other notable Nicholls-trained Festival winners have included Big Buck's, who won the Stayers' Hurdle a record four years running in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, and Master Minded, who record back-to-back victories in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2008 and 2009.

Willie Mullins

Perennial Irish National Hunt Trainer since 2007/08 and the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, Willie Mullins needs little or no introduction to anyone with more than a passing interest in horse racing. The son of Paddy Mullins, trainer of the legendary Dawn Run, Willie Mullins began training in his own right in 1988 and saddled his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Tourist Attraction, in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 1995.

In just over two-and-a-half decades since, Mullins has not only won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle another six times, to become the leading trainer in the history of that race, but has also won the leading trainer award at the Cheltenham Festival eight times. Mullins' name has also become synonymous with the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, which he has won eleven times, and the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, which he was won nine times, including six in a row with the incomparable Quevega between 2009 and 2014.

All told, Mullins has saddled 78 winners at the Cheltenham Festival but, despite winning the Champion Hurdle four times and the Stayers' Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup twice apiece, he has yet to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase. However, it was not until 2019 that Mullins saddled his first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Al Boum Photo, who duly defended his title in 2020, so hope springs eternal for the Closutton trainer.

Cheltenham Races (1935)

A walk down memory lane!

Politologue

 

Currently the co-seventh highest-rated steeplechaser in training, according to Timeform, Politologue, now a nine-year-old, has been a regular visitor to the Cheltenham Festival since 2016. However, until March, 2020, the best he had managed in four attempts was a 1¾-length second to Altior in the 2019 Queen Mother Champion Chase.

On his racing reappearance in 2019/20, Politologue was beaten, albeit not far, by Defi Du Seuil, who was in receipt of 3lb, in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham in November. The pair met again, at level weights, in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park the following month, with Defi Du Seuil once again coming out superior, to the tune of 18 lengths.

However, following that second defeat, trainer Paul Nicholls contacted owner John Hales and asked permission to send Politologue directly to the Queen Mother Champion Chase without a preparatory run, so that he arrived at the Cheltenham Festival very fresh. Hales agreed and, when March rolled around, Politologue was sent off 6/1 second favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase behind Defi Du Seuil, who had since added an impressive victory in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot to his winning tally.

In the hands of Harry Skelton, Politologue was soon jumping well at the head of affairs and drew clear in the closing stages to win, unchallenged, by 9½ lengths. By contrast, 2/5 favourite Defi Du Seuil was never travelling well and trailed in fourth of the five runners, beaten 13¼ lengths, with trainer Philip Hobbs unable to offer an explanation for his poor performance.