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A week that has had a bit of everything but Willie Mullins is still managing to break his own records

Willie Mullins is all smiles after securing the British trainers' title
Beating himself up: Willie Mullins broke his own record of Grade 1s in a season when Il Etait Temps took his tally to 35 at PunchestownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

It might be too soon to characterise this week as the ideal embodiment of what the jumps scene should look like but it has a healthy hint of everything about it so far.

On Thursday, Willie Mullins did a very Willie Mullins thing by breaking one of his own records with a second-string in a Grade 1 in which he saddled three-quarters of the runners. Gaelic Warrior has never screamed 'resolve' and Il Etait Temps has never been inclined to let him have things his own way. In deep ground at Limerick over Christmas, when Patrick Mullins added a bit of unexpected theatre to proceedings by publicly berating his cousin Danny for his insouciance in disobeying direct orders in his quest to win a Grade 1, Gaelic Warrior was ultimately able to boss matters. 

In drier conditions here for the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, he wasn't able to bully his grey stablemate into submission.

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Richard ForristalIreland editor

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