Trainer's irresistible force meets immovable object

This is a sudden bombshell that has, arguably, been years in the making.

It comes down to a fundamental clash in philosophies. On the one hand, you have Willie Mullins, the perennial champion trainer whose attention to detail is renowned.

He doesn’t cut corners and won't be dictated to when it comes to charging for his services, nor, indeed, the ancillary services of those who underpin his work in Closutton; the staff and farriers have to be paid, as do the feed, hay and straw suppliers, etc.