CHELTENHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) — Gaelic Warrior eased home to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the blue-riband event of steeplechasing, and give trainer Willie Mullins a record-equalling fifth win in the race on Friday.

For Mullins and jockey Paul Townend, it gave them a sweep this week of the races considered the ‘Holy Trinity’ of the Cheltenham Festival — the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase.

Townend won the race for a record fifth time but on a horse he was not due to ride until
Galopin des Champs was retired days before the festival.

“Patrick [Mullins] put in a lot of work on this horse,” said Townend. “I’m just fortunate to be on his back today.

“I got the position I wanted and he just ran away with it. I just had to stay on him.”

It was the climax to another extraordinary week for Mullins which took his career Cheltenham Festival wins to over 120.

“It was extraordinary; the way he did it was amazing,” he said.

“I’m delighted for the owners.

“It was a great ride, he [Paul Townend] was so cool on him. Can you imagine what was going through his head going to the last?”

For Rich Ricci and his wife Susannah it completed the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup double—
Lossiemouth having won the former on Tuesday.

“I am a wreck! I have been trying to win this for 21 years,” said Rich Ricci who choked back tears.

“I may not be everyone’s cup of tea — I am American, and loud, and can be obnoxious — but this is a great day.”

Gaelic Warrior came home clear of his 11/4 co-favourite Jango Baie, with last year’s winner Inothewayurthinkin coming from far back to take third.

Jango Baie’s owners, the Barney’s, name their horses with the initials of their son James, who tragically died at age 16 in a car crash in 2008.

“It is incredible to be second, and I am delighted as I have not been in the game for very long,” said Tony Barney.

“Performance was amazing. Phenomenal.

“I am donating all our winnings (£132,500 — $175,000) to charity, due to the support I have had in this business.”

But there was to be no fairytale win for English football icon Harry Redknapp whose horse, The Jukebox Man, faded to eighth.

“Sitting here thinking he is going well but the winner was fantastic. I think he has a little wind problem to be sorted out,” said Redknapp.

“No excuses. Been [an] amazing experience to be here this week, a great week; winning would have been icing on the cake.

“He won a King George for me; the Gold Cup is the ultimate but we won the second best race.”

Envoi Allen — a winner of 10 Grade One races, including at the Cheltenham Festival — collapsed and died on his final racecourse appearance after finishing ninth and last.

Jockey Paul Townend (left) and trainer Willie Mullins celebrate with the Gold Cup trophy after Gaelic Warrior won the Gold Cup chase horse race on the fourth day of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, in Cheltenham, western England, on March 13, 2026. (Photo: AFP)