Willie Mullins clinched the leading trainer award at the Cheltenham Festival when Don Poli gave him a fourth winner at the meeting.
Mullins began the fourth and final day level with Jonjo O’Neill and David Pipe on the three-winner mark, posting the one success as his rivals drew blanks.
The Irish trainer said Quevega’s record sixth success in the Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday was his high point.
“Quevega was very special. To win the mares’ race for the sixth time is a magnificent achievement,” Mullins said.
“Obviously the two novices (Vautour and Faugheen) were hugely impressive but she was the high point.
“Losing Ruby (Walsh) with a broken arm, then losing Paul Townend and getting nudged out of the Gold Cup were all low points.
“It’s been a dramatic day going through three sets of jockeys, but I was delighted to see Mikey Fogarty gain his first winner since turning professional on Don Poli.”
Ruby Walsh nosed the Boodles-sponsored award for leading jockey on a countback after starting the day level on three winners with Barry Geraghty and Tom Scudamore
Walsh’s activities on the final day were cut short when he broke an arm in a fall from Abbyssial in the Triumph Hurdle but neither of his rivals did enough to surpass his placed score of three seconds.
