3000 winner milestone for Willie Mullins

Dual-purpose trainer Willie Mullins has saddled his 3000th winner but still has several big-race ambitions including the Melbourne Cup.

Mullins reached the personal milestone after Timi Roli carried the silks made famous by 22-time Grade One winner Hurricane Fly to glory in in a hurdle at Wexford on Wednesday (Thursday AEST)..

Mullins sent out his first winner at Thurles in February 1988.

“It’s a nice thing to do and I’d never have dreamt of doing anything like this when I started off,” Mullins told Press Association Sport.

“I’d hoped I would get a few winners on the board and get established and I’m very pleased to have come this far.

“We have had a lot of people that have been with us a long time and it’s a huge team effort from our staff, as they keep the whole thing rolling the whole time, while the likes of Ruby Walsh has been with us on and off for 17 or 18 years.”

The reigning Irish National Hunt champion trainer has won many big races but there are still several he would like to achieve across both codes of the sport.

“I would like to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while I would also like to win an Ascot Gold Cup and a Melbourne Cup.

“They are all races I’d like to think we have a chance of winning, as we have got the horses to do it.

“They are reasonable targets that we might hopefully get to achieve.”