Willie Mullins – Grand National Trainers 2024 To Watch
Widely recognised as one of the best trainers in the sport, Willie Mullins has a knack for getting the best out of horses on the biggest stage. His yard has produced some of the best national hunt horses on the planet, including the back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs.
He claimed his second Aintree Grand National win in 2024, as Jockey Paul Townend thundered home on his runner I Am Maximus to win the historic contest. That win ended the powerhouse trainer’s Grand National draught of over 15 years!
Who is Willie Mullins?
Willie Mullins is a towering figure in horse racing, particularly in the National Hunt sphere. Before embarking on his illustrious training career, Mullins was an amateur jockey, winning six titles in Ireland. Transitioning to training in 1988, he honed his skills under the tutelage of his father, Paddy Mullins, and renowned trainer, Jim Bolger.
He became the Irish National Hunt champion trainer for the first time in the 2000/2001 season, a title he would go on to claim multiple times. His proficiency at the Cheltenham Festival is particularly noteworthy. Mullins has amassed a record number of wins at the event, surpassing Nicky Henderson in 2018 to become the festival’s most successful trainer ever. He has four Cheltenham Gold Cups alone, guiding Al Boum Photo to victory in 2019 and 2020, then repeating the feat with Galopin Des Champs in 2023 and 2024.
Mullins’ yard, based in Closutton, County Carlow, is home to a remarkable roster of horses that have clinched victories in prestigious races worldwide. The iconic names include the six-time David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle winner Quevega and two-time Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly. His first Grand National win came in 2005 when AP McCoy rode Hedgehunter to victory, and his second came in 2024, when I Am Maximus powered home under Paul Townend.
Willie Mullins 2024 Grand National Runners
Here’s a complete list of the Willie Mullins trained horses that entered the 2024 Grand National, including victor, I Am Maximus.
| Horse | Age | Weight | Current Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Am Maximus | 8 | 11-2 | 7/1 |
| Meetingofthewaters | 7 | 10-4 | 8/1 |
| Mr Incredible | 8 | 10-7 | 12/1 |
| Capodanno | 8 | 11-4 | 40/1 |
| Adamantly Chosen | 7 | 10-5 | 50/1 |
| Stattler | 9 | 11-1 | 50/1 |
| Glengouly | 8 | 10-3 | 66/1 |
| Janidil | 10 | 10-5 | 100/1 |
Odds shown last updated at 3pm on 11th March
Willie Mullins Grand National Wins & Recent Record
Mullins has had hundreds of runners in the Grand National over his three decades as a trainer but has only had two wins.
The table below showcases the results of the shortest-priced Mullins runners in the last five runnings of the Grand National.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | SP | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | I Am Maximus | Paul Townend | 7/1JF | 1st |
| 2023 | Gaillard Du Mesnil | Paul Townend | 10/1 | 3rd |
| 2023 | Mr Incredible | Brian Hayes | 14/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 2022 | Burrows Saint | Paul Townend | 33/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 2022 | Agusta Gold | Danny Mullins | 66/1 | Fell |
| 2021 | Burrows Saint | Patrick Mullins | 9/1 | 4th |
| 2021 | Acapella Bourgeois | Danny Mullins | 20/1 | 13th |
| 2019 | Rathvinden | Ruby Walsh | 8/1 | 3rd |
| 2019 | Pleasant Company | Paul Townend | 12/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 2018 | Total Recall | Paul Townend | 7/1 | Pulled Up |
| 2018 | Pleasant Company | David Mullins | 25/1 | 2nd |
Willie Mullins 2023/24 Jumps Racing Record & Notable Wins
The current jumps season started in April 2023 and will conclude after the Grand National in April this year. A trainer’s seasonal form and strike rate are both good indicators of how their horses could run in the Grand National.
As most racing fans would have expected, Willie Mullins is having another successful campaign in 2023/24, with well over 200 wins across UK and Irish race meetings. Many of those victories are in the elite Grade 1 contests. Mullins secured the title of Top Trainer at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, blowing away the competition with a massive nine winners over the four days of action.
Mullins’ complete jumps racing record and notable wins from the 2023/24 campaign are listed below.
Willie Mullins 2023/24 Jumps Racing Record
| Country | Runs | Wins | Placed | Even Stake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 762 | 247 | 172 | -81.1 |
| UK | 151 | 25 | 26 | -29.5 |
| Total | 813 | 272 | 198 | -110.6 |
Stats Listed are correct at 4pm on 25th April.
Willie Mullins 2023/24 Notable Wins
| Date | Horse | SP | Race | Grade | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20/04/24 | Macdermott | 18/1 | Scottish Grand National | Premier Handicap | Ayr |
| 13/04/24 | I Am Maximus | 7/1F | Aintree Grand National | Premier Handicap | Aintree |
| 15/03/24 | Galopin Des Champs | 10/11F | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Grade 1 | Cheltenham |
| 13/03/24 | Fact to File | 8/13F | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | Cheltenham |
| 12/03/24 | State Man | 2/5F | Champion Hurdle | Grade 1 | Cheltenham |
| 04/02/24 | Fact To File | 6/4 | Ladbrokes Novice Chase | Grade 1 | Leopardstown |
| 27/12/23 | Dinoblue | 9/4 | Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase | Grade 1 | Leopardstown |
| 25/11/23 | State Man | 1/6F | Morgiana Hurdle | Grade 1 | Punchestown |
| 26/08/23 | Absurde | 7/1 | Ebor Handicap | Handicap | York |
| 03/08/23 | Zarak The Brave | 9/2 | Galway Hurdle | Grade 3 | Galway |
Willie Mullins Grand National FAQs
Has Willie Mullins ever won the Grand National?
Willie Mullins has now won two Grand Nationals as a trainer. He guided Headhunter to victory in 2005 and I Am Maximus in 2024.
Did Willie Mullins have a horse in the 2024 Grand National?
Willie Mullins had 8 runners in the 2024 Grand National, including the winner, I Am Maximus.
How many Cheltenham winners has Willie Mullins trained?
Willie Mullins has a total of 103 Cheltenham Festival winners, a haul that makes him the greatest trainer in the festival’s history.
How many Gold Cups has Willie Mullins won?
Willie Mullins has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup four times. Despite bagging winners at the festival for years, Mullins didn’t claim the Gold Cup until 2019. Since Al Boum Photo helped him break his duck, he’s claimed three more.
How much does the Grand National winner get?
The Grand National winning jockey receives a percentage of the prize money given to the winning horse’s connections. In recent years, the total Grand National prize fund has been roughly £1 million, with the winner’s share being a significant portion of that amount. The exact amount the victorious jockey receives differs depending on the agreements made between them and the horse’s owner.
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