Willie Mullins is one of Irish National Hunt racing's most familiar and deeply-loved faces(Image: ©INPHO/Tom Maher)

Willie Mullins' huge net worth, trainer's wife and famous son, total Cheltenham winnings

by · Irish Mirror

Willie Mullins has his eyes set firmly on improving his already stellar Cheltenham Festival this week.

The County Kilkenny-born trainer needs no introduction as one of National Hunt racing’s all-time greats. He saddled his 100th Festival winner in 2024, cementing himself as the most successful trainer ever at the March showpiece, and will surely only build on that this time around.

Stemming from a racing-rich family, we take a look behind the scenes at Closutton, including the 68-year-old’s net worth, legendary lineage, wife and record-breaking son, total winnings from the big meeting, and his leading chances at this year’s renewal.

What is Willie Mullins’ net worth?

Although the exact amount of Willie Mullins' net worth is open to speculation, the Racing Post have tallied up his earnings since 2020 at an eye-watering €27.5million. That tally was only boosted by last year’s efforts at the Festival.

The Closutton genius saw his seasonal British tally topple the €3m mark in 2024, meaning that for the first time since 1954, British jumps racing had an Irish Champion Trainer.

His €7m in Irish winnings also saw him achieve champion status in his homeland, and with €3.8m already accumulated this campaign - nearly €700,000 more than nearest contender Gordon Elliott - it looks as though his domination will continue long into 2025.

Mullins has captured the imagination of audiences with his brilliance and kindness(Image: PA Wire)

Who are Willie Mullins’ family?

Mullins has been married to his beloved wife Jackie for decades, and the pair share one son together, Patrick - a record-breaking amateur jockey. Son Patrick was on board when the 100 Festival winners tally was brought up last year, and he’s tasted amateur champion glory a staggering 15 times.

Mullins is not just a husband and a father but also the brother of renowned trainers Tony and Tom and son of the late Paddy, an iconic trainer who claimed four Irish Grand National wins and six Festival victories.

The Mullins family has roots deeply ingrained in Irish racing(Image: PA)

Nephew Danny is another highly thought-of member of the clan. The son of Tony and Mags rode 126 winners on the pony circuit before turning to the big leagues, earning his first Festival winner aboard Flooring Porter in the 2021 Stayers’ Hurdle.

Emmet - another of Mullins’ nephews - is one more member who has tasted astounding success, notably training 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats. Mullins’ mother and the matriarch of this prominent and beloved racing family, Maureen, sadly passed away in February 2024, aged 94.

How much has Willie Mullins won at Cheltenham?

Since tasting his first bite of Cheltenham Festival success in 1995, Mullins hasn’t looked back. The Champion Bumper, a notoriously difficult race to win, hasn't been difficult for the 68-year-old to claim, as he's won it a staggering 13 times - with Jasmin De Vaux, last year’s winner, bringing his number of Festival wins to 100.

The Gold Cup has been brought back to Closutton on four occasions, meaning that in just two decades, Mullins has plundered an estimated nearly €18m in Festival winnings alone.

With the blue riband event offering a hefty €425,000 to the winner in 2025 and other favoured races, including the Ryanair Chase and Queen Mother Champion Chase, having winners’ shares that break the €200k mark, this figure only promises to grow.

Mullins and jockey Paul Townend will hope to snatch another Gold Cup in 2025(Image: Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Who are Willie Mullins’ leading contenders in 2025?

It comes as no surprise that the majority of the graded races – and handicaps – have Mullins horses leading their respective markets at this year's Festival renewal. The Closutton battalion will arrive in Gloucestershire looking to equal or even best his staggering tally of nine winners from 28 races in 2024, though some stand out more than others.

The opening day of the Festival will feature heavily fancied Arkle favourite, five-year-old gelding Majborough. The son of Martinborough has taken to fences like a duck to water after winning the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2024 and comes to the Festival hot off the back of a convincing Goffs Irish Arkle win.

Novice chaser Majborough heads to the Festival in fine fettle(Image: PA)

JP McManus’ star was meant to face off against Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old Sir Gino, but he has been ruled out of the meeting with a ligament infection. Dan Skelton’s L’Eau du Sud will provide the main challenge.

Mullins’ stable star and Festival headliner springs into action on Friday when Galopin Des Champs launches his bid for a third consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup. The nine-year-old already has one hat-trick under his belt after lifting his third Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival last month and heads across the Irish Sea with very few who’ll fancy their chances of opposing him.