Mullins the conqueror roars into life to lead Irish charge

It was billed as St Patrick's Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival and fitting therefore that the tagline of that most synonymous of Irish companies sprung to mind: for Willie Mullins, good things do indeed come to those who wait.

Mullins, the undisputed king of the festival in recent years, had drawn a blank over the two opening days and what began as a surprising turn of events was beginning to look more than a little like a crisis, one that might have shook Irish racing to its core and crashed the economy across the water.

We needn't have worried. On Thursday the Closutton powerhouse roared back to life with a stupendous quartet of wins that left Mullins and Ruby Walsh with smiles as wide as the Liffey and those who kept the faith reaping rich rewards for their loyalty.