Remember that recovery? Mullins pays tribute after retirement of Killultagh Vic

The popular Willie Mullins-trained Killultagh Vic has been retired, having spent more than six years with Ireland's champion trainer during which time he became a Grade 1-winning novice chaser.

Killultagh Vic retires aged 11, having won a bumper, over hurdles and fences for the yard.

His Grade 1 success came in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown festival in 2015, when he fought off the top-class Thistlecrack to score in style.

But Killultagh Vic, who also won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle under Luke Dempsey at the Cheltenham Festival five years ago, is best known for his incredible recovery to win a Grade 2 novice chase at Leopardstown in 2016.

He was leading over the last before making a terrible mistake on landing, putting him well back in third. Commentator Dessie Scahill famously said in-running that "he would never recover from that" before Killultagh Vic miraculously picked up to snatch victory under Ruby Walsh.

Watch Killultagh Vic's amazing recovery at Leopardstown

Mullins paid tribute and said: "He's been with us for ages. He won a Grade 1 for us at Punchestown and there's been plenty of great days. He won over hurdles and fences for us. People still talk about when he nearly fell at the last fence at Leopardstown but then came back to win.

"He's been around a long time and we've got used to seeing him around the place. It's a shame to see him go."

Killultagh Vic: pictured with connections after winning at Punchestown in December 2017Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Killultagh Vic suffered injury problems throughout his career. He was off for almost two years following that remarkable Leopardstown win, but was successful on his comeback over hurdles at Punchestown in December 2017.

He was then aimed at the big chases that season. He was leading when falling at the last in the 2018 Irish Gold Cup, won by Edwulf. In the Cheltenham edition, he was sent off 8-1 but was pulled-up before the penultimate fence.

In the season that just finished he was well beaten in four starts over hurdles.

Owned by Marie Armstrong, Boyce Anderson and Rose Boyd, Killultagh Vic won eight races from 27 starts and earned £181,743 in prize-money.

Read more:

Mullins' first Cheltenham Festival winner Tourist Attraction dies aged 31

Mullins snatches festival trainers' title from Elliott with fantastic four-timer

Long-absent Killultagh Vic back with a bang for Mullins

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