Willie Mullins is preparing for another potentially historic end to the National Hunt season, with a formidable team of runners spread across the UK and Ireland. Fresh from becoming the first Irish-based trainer in over 70 years to win the UK trainers’ championship in 2024, Mullins is now in with a live chance of retaining that crown in 2025. The dual focus this spring: a strong Sandown team to round off the British season, and an all-out assault on the Punchestown Festival, the traditional highlight of the Irish National Hunt calendar.

Following a record-breaking Cheltenham Festival and another successful raid on Aintree, Mullins is wasting no time consolidating his position. His Sandown squad for the bet365 Jump Finale is typically deep, with Energumene, Il Etait Temps, and Gaelic Warrior all holding entries in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase. In the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, Mullins could field as many as ten runners, with Minella Cocooner, Grangeclare West, and Spanish Harlem among the top prospects. Add in Classic Getaway for the Oaksey Chase, and it’s clear Mullins is intent on finishing the UK season with a flourish.

All roads then lead to Punchestown, where Mullins has historically dominated and is once again expected to run the table. His entries read like a who’s who of the jumps season’s elite: State Man, Ballyburn, El Fabiolo, Impaire Et Passe, Lossiemouth, and Galopin Des Champs are just a few of the headline names set to compete in a stacked Grade 1 line-up. Mullins will be mob-handed in virtually every championship race across the five days, including the Champion Novice Hurdle, the Champion Chase, and the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Crucially, his strength in depth also extends to the bumpers and novice contests. Horses like Run Ted Run, Wonderful Everyday, and Leader Des Bordes are poised to give Mullins a potent presence right through to the festival’s closing day.

While Dan Skelton remains in contention for the UK title, the weight of Mullins’ firepower – coupled with a knack for landing the right blows at the right time – could once again prove decisive. Sandown may provide the clinching moment in the championship race, but Punchestown remains the spiritual home of his dominance.

Regardless of the final outcome in the UK standings, Mullins’ campaign is once again setting new standards. From Gold Cup contenders to bumper debutants, his ability to marshal elite talent and deliver results on both fronts makes this spring another defining chapter in a career that continues to shape the landscape of jump racing.