Loading please wait

Recent Trainers Stories

More Stories
Nicky Henderson is the leading current trainer at The Festival, having sent out 39 winners since 1985. 

His two successes in 2011 put him just one behind Fulke Walwyn, who sent out his 40 winners over a five-decade period.

Paul Nicholls continues to rapidly build on his record with a total of 30 Festival winners (27 of these in the last 9 years), including 3 more in 2011.

With 21 victories, Willie Mullins is the leading active Irish trainer at the Festival and third on the all-time list behind Arkle's trainer Tom Dreaper, with 26 winners, and Vincent O'Brien who had 23.

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CURRENT TRAINERS AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 

39 Nicky Henderson
30 Paul Nicholls
21 Willie Mullins (IRE)
18 Edward O'Grady (IRE)
18 Jonjo O’Neill
15 Philip Hobbs
13 Nigel Twiston-Davies
12 Alan King
9 David Elsworth
9 Ferdy Murphy
8 Arthur Moore (IRE)
7 David Pipe
7 Howard Johnson
7 Jessica Harrington (IRE)
7 Henrietta Knight
7 Mouse Morris (IRE)
6 Francois Doumen (FR)
6 Oliver Sherwood
5 Dessie Hughes (IRE)
5 Venetia Williams
5 Enda Bolger (IRE)

The Leading Trainer Award is always competitive with trainers representing Great Britain, Ireland and France aiming for the prize. Willie Mullins capped a memorable 2011 Cheltenham Festival by winning the award for the first time, with four winners. Mullins is is the first Irish trainer to take the title since Edward O'Grady shared the award in 1996.

Paul Nicholls has dominated in recent years, having taken the prize at five of the last eight Festivals and six times in total (1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009).

Previous winners of the Leading Trainer Award are listed below:

2011 Willie Mullins 4
2010 Nicky Henderson 3
2009 Paul Nicholls 5
2008 Paul Nicholls 3
2007 Paul Nicholls 4
2006 Paul Nicholls 3
2005 Howard Johnson 3
2004 Paul Nicholls 4
2003 Jonjo O’Neill 3
2002 Martin Pipe 3
2000 Nicky Henderson 4
1999 Paul Nicholls 3
1998 Martin Pipe 4
1997 Martin Pipe 4
1996 Ferdy Murphy, Edward O’Grady, Martin Pipe 2
1995 David Nicholson 3
1994 David Nicholson, Edward O’Grady, Martin Pipe 2
1993 Nicky Henderson, Martin Pipe, Nigel Twiston-Davies 2
1992 Nicky Henderson, David Nicholson, Simon Sherwood 2
1991 Martin Pipe 3
1990 Nicky Henderson 2
1989 Toby Balding, John Edwards, David Elsworth, Josh Gifford, Martin Pipe 2
1988 Josh Gifford 3
1987 Toby Balding, Nicky Henderson, Fred Winter 2
1986 Nicky Henderson 3
1985 Nicky Henderson 3
1984 Michael Dickinson 3
1983 Michael Dickinson 3
1982 Michael Dickinson, Fulke Walwyn 2
1981 Peter Easterby 3
1980 John Edwards, Edward O’Grady, Bob Turnell, Fred Winter 2

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINERS OF ALL-TIME AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

Fulke Walwyn's record of 40 winners at the Cheltenham Festival between 1946 and 1986 still stands. He trained the winners of four Gold Cups and two Champion Hurdles throughout his illustrious career and is commemorated in the title of the Fulke Walwyn, Kim Muir Memorial Chase at the Festival.

Martin Pipe saddled 34 Festival winners, starting with the 66-1 shot Baron Blakeney's victory over red-hot favourite Broadsword in the 1981 Triumph Hurdle. His other Festival winners included two Champion Hurdles with Granville Again in 1993 and novice Make A Stand in 1997, though victory in the Gold Cup eluded him (Rushing Wild came second in 1993). He retired after the 2006 Festival, handing over the reins to son, David Pipe, who already has five Festival victories to his name. The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival named in his honour.

Also of note is Fred Winter with 28 Festival winners and the only person to have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Grand National as both jockey and trainer. In fact, he won the Gold Cup twice as a jockey and as for the Champion Hurdle, he won that a staggering three times as a jockey and four times as a trainer. He is also remembered at Cheltenham with the naming of the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

No trainer has ever won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Champion Chase in the same season or the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and the World Hurdle in the same season. Jim Dreaper won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase and World Hurdle in 1975 with Ten Up, Lough Inagh and Brown Lad respectively. Paul Nicholls won the Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase and World Hurdle in 2009 with Kauto Star, Master Minded and Big Buck's.

Bet on Cheltenham

  • £50bonus
    1.
    Get £50 free with Ladbrokes

    As you’d expect from one of the biggest high-street bookmakers in the country, Ladbrokes play a very strong hand when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival.

    Ladbrokes are a long-established player in the betting industry and there is plenty to like about the bookmaker fondly known as the Magic Sign. The firm offer Best Odds Guaranteed on every race at the Cheltenham Festival, early and competitive prices and price enhancements.

Read More

Cheltenham On Facebook

Cheltenham Links


© 2012 cheltenhamfestival.net. All Rights Reserved  |  RSS

Join the Cheltenham Festival Community today!

Log In or Sign up

Facebook User?

You can use your facebook account to sign up with Live streaming sport.

Connect with facebook
Did you forget your password?