Mighty Mullins ready to unleash another merciless battalion on the Cotswolds

There was a time when Willie Mullins would unleash the full wrath of his cavalry on day one of the Cheltenham Festival before the barrage would taper off as the week went on.

His Supreme and Arkle cumulative tally is 13, and he has amassed nine triumphs in the Mares' Hurdle alone. The Champion Hurdle was for a long time the only championship race he had mastered as he had farmed four of those before snaring a Gold Cup, a Champion Chase or a Stayers' Hurdle.

Then 2017 happened. Mullins bombed out on the Tuesday and Wednesday, but he and Ruby Walsh bounced up off the canvas to plunder an epic Thursday four-timer, and the Carlow-based maestro checked out with two more on the Friday.