Mullins secures fifth Cheltenham winner

Trainer Willie Mullins claimed the Weatherbys Champion Bumper for an eighth time courtesy of Briar Hill.

The five-year-old (25-1) trounced his rivals under Ruby Walsh with a withering late run around the outside of the field.

Mullins was securing his fifth winner at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, and Walsh his fourth.

Runner-up Regal Encore (7-1 joint-favourite) fleetingly looked the biggest danger along the straight, but the Graham Wylie-owned Briar Hill bounded up the hill to score by seven lengths.

Golantilla finished third for the Tony Martin team.

Mullins said: “We did know he had a little bit of ability.

“We were only here to see how good he was, so it was a huge surprise to see how well he did it.

“I think the hill, and probably the better ground, did it for him.”