No trainer has won the only flat race at the Cheltenham Festival more times than Willie Mullins – but just how many times has the Closutton handler landed the day two finale? Plus, we look at his first and last winners and also the possible Willie Mullins Champion Bumper runners for 2024.
Willie Mullins Has Won The Champion Bumper 12 Times Over The Years
Willie Mullins and the Weatherbys Champion Bumper go hand-in-hand at the Cheltenham Festival these days.
This is because the top Irish handler has mopped up TWELEVE wins in the race over the years.
No other trainer has won the race more times, with Gordon Elliott (2) and the Pipes (Martin/Davies) (2) both a distant joint second in the overall standings.
The Champion Bumper has also provided Willie Mullins with 13% of his overall 94 Cheltenham Festival winners heading into the 2024.
Therefore, anything he runs in 2024 – like every year – should be respected.
Mullins is also showing no signs of letting-up in his favourite Cheltenham Festival race. Winning four of the last six renewals.
But he had to play second fiddle last season when the John Kiely-trained A Dream To Share chinned his Fact To File up the hill.
We can expect Mullins to be Champion Bumper ‘mob-handed’ again in 2024 (see his entries below), but also don’t be put off if your fancy is one of the bigger-priced stable runners.
Since 2018 Mullins has won the race four times and two of these were with 25/1 (Relegate) and 11/1 (Ferny Hollow) shots.
Possible Willie Mullins Champion Bumper Runners In 2024
The final 2024 Weatherbys Champion Bumper runners will be announced on Monday 11th March (48h decs), but at this stage Mullins has 14 entries. Plus you can see all the main 2024 Willie Mullins Cheltenham runners here.
- Maughreen
- Junta Marvel
- Fleur Au Fusil
- Flashaway
- Aurora Vega
- You Oughta Know
- Sounds Victorius
- Joystick
- Inn At The Park
- Fishery Lane
- Cantico
- C’est Ta Chance
- Argento Boy
Who Is The 2024 Champion Bumper Favourite and How Many Market Leaders Win This Cheltenham Race?
As the race draws nearer the odds with the best UK horse racing betting sites suggests a very competitive and open race in 2024.
At this stage Willie Mullins has two at the head of the market in Maughreen (watch below), who is a half-sister to the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen, plus Jasmin De Vaux, who impressed when winning by 15-lengths at Naas at the end of January.
Those looking to upset the Mullins ‘bumper party’ this year are the Paul Nicholls-trained Teeshan, plus a string of Gordon Elliott runner that include the promising trio – Jalon D’oudairies, The Yellow Clay and Romeo Coolio.
While since 2014 the race has seen just three winning favourites – Facile Vega (2022), Envoi Allen (2019) and Moon Racer (2015).
Facile Vega Was The Last Willie Mullins Champion Bumper Winner (2022)
No joy in the Champion Bumper last year for Willie Mullins, but you only have to go back to 2022 to find his most recent success in the race.
Facile Vega provided Mullins with his twelfth win in the race when romping away by 3 3/4 lengths that year (watch below).
Since then, Facile Vega hasn’t quite hit the heights many thought he would. But the horse still remains in training and is a possible runner for Mullins in the Arkle Novices’ Chase on the opening day of the 2024 Festival.
Wither Or Which Provided Willie Mullins With His First Champion Bumper Winner (And Was Ridden By a Certain Willie Mullins Too)
The Willie Mullins love affair with the Champion Bumper started way back in 1996 with a horse called Wither Or Which.
This 5 year-old was winning only the fifth running of the race at the time.
Wither or Which was also ridden by Mullins that year as the fledging trainer was also still riding as an amateur at the time.
When Is The Weatherbys Champion Bumper 2024?
The Champion Bumper is staged at the Cheltenham Festival on the second day – Wednesday
📅Time/Date: 5:30pm, Wednesday 13th March 2024
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
💰 Winner: £45,560.00
📺 TV: RacingTV / ITV
See the full running order and times for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins Weatherby Champion Bumper Winners
See below the full list of Willie Mullins Champion Bumper winners (correct as 2024).
- Facile Vega (2022)
- Sir Gerhard (2021)
- Ferny Hollow (2020)
- Relegate (2018)
- Briar Hill (2013)
- Champagne Fever (2012)
- Cousin Vinny (2008)
- Missed That (2005)
- Joe Cullen (2000)
- Alexander Banquet (1998)
- Florida Pearl (1997)
- Wither or Which (1996)
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