Willie Mullins: the unorthodox visionary who revolutionised modern jump racing

Distilling the genius of Willie Mullins down to a couple of identifiable traits is a crude tactic that oversimplifies a man of many layers and enigmatic nuance, but there are a couple of attributes in particular that seem to be constant throughout his illustrious professional life.

From before he ever acquired his licence to train in 1987, the eldest son of Paddy Mullins, the great 20th-century patriarch of Irish racing, exhibited two characteristics that would ultimately set him apart: vision and ambition.

The combined force of those instinctive impulses is the essence of the most successful jumps trainer of the 21st century. Mullins sees opportunities and pursues them with meticulous diligence.