Awesome Appreciate It looks nailed on to make it ten for Mullins in Bumper

The Champion Bumper, which has been run 27 times since its inaugural edition in 1992 (the 2001 renewal was cancelled because of the foot and mouth crisis), has been won by Willie Mullins an astonishing nine times.

Mullins recruits and prepares his young horses to win the Grade 1 before transforming the majority of them into successful chasers years down the line. Over the last few years the Bumper has become more and more competitive and Mullins has won it just once (Relegate in 2018) since 2013, but he looks like taking his tally into double figures next month thanks to his new superstar Appreciate It.

A six-year-old son of four-time Flat winner Jeremy, whose progeny also include 2013 Triumph Hurdle winner Our Conor, Appreciate It travelled powerfully on his first outing for Mullins in November before looking green under pressure when finishing third, and the first and second won next time out.