Irish training legend Mullins steeped in history

Paris: Irish training legend Willie Mullins admitted he inherited some of his late mother Maureen s traits of putting people at ease, in being diploma...

Paris: Irish training legend Willie Mullins admitted he inherited some of his late mother Maureen's traits of putting people at ease, in being diplomatic and thinking outside the box.

It was the 67-year-old's son Patrick, also his assistant trainer, who told the Irish Examiner that is what sets his father apart from rivals such as Gordon Elliott and Nicky Henderson.

This ability as well as 200 horses -- which he had to build up again when Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary took away 60 horses in 2016 -- has brought unprecedented success and dominance in jumps racing.

Mullins's brilliance -- with typical humility and generosity of spirit he praises his team which also includes his wife Jackie -- brought up a historic 100 winners at the sport's showpiece the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.

History, though, has been part and parcel of his life dating back to his late father Paddy training the extraordinary mare Dawn Run to become the only horse to achieve the Champion Hurdle/Cheltenham Gold Cup double.