Source: Alamy Stock Photo
We count down the 10 trainers with the most Cheltenham wins and list the leading candidates to be the top trainer at the 2025 Festival.
The trainers with the most Cheltenham wins
1. Willie Mullins – 103
Willie Mullins is the dominant force in Irish jump racing and even landed a first trainers’ title in Britain last season after a memorable campaign.
Mullins has been the trainer to fear at the Cheltenham Festival for several years and became the first to saddle 100 winners at the big meeting when Jasmin De Vaux landed the Champion Bumper in 2024.
Galopin Des Champs, who bids for a Gold Cup hat-trick, and Al Boum Photo have been dual winners of the Festival showpiece for Mullins, who has won the Champion Hurdle on five occasions, including with State Man last year.
Mullins enjoyed nine winners at last year’s meeting and he is long odds-on in the Cheltenham betting to be the leading trainer again across the four-day Cotswolds extravaganza.
2. Nicky Henderson – 73
Nicky Henderson lost the leading Cheltenham Festival trainer tag to Mullins in 2018, having assumed the status from Fulke Walwyn in 2012.
Henderson, one of the top jumps trainers in Britain over many decades, remains a main player at the big meeting, having saddled 73 winners at the Festival.
See You Then was a first Festival winner for Henderson in the Champion Hurdle in 1985 and the leading British trainer has enjoyed many other memorable days at Cheltenham since, with the likes of Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Constitution Hill.
In Long Run and Bobs Worth, he has also trained two winners of the Gold Cup – the Festival’s most prestigious race with the highest prize money of any Cheltenham race.
3. Paul Nicholls – 49
Paul Nicholls is one winner away from becoming the third trainer to saddle 50 winners at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Ditcheat trainer enjoyed a memorable three years from 2007 to 2009, winning the Gold Cup with Kauto Star (twice) and Denman.
Big Buck’s, a four-time Stayers’ Hurdle winner, and dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded have been other Cheltenham stars for Nicholls, who won his first Gold Cup with See More Business in 1999.
4. Fulke Walwyn – 40
The late Fulke Walwyn was one of the most successful jumps trainers and held the record for winners at this meeting for many years.
Walwyn, who won the Grand National during his riding days, trained four winners of the Gold Cup, including Mill House and The Dikler, and two Champion Hurdle winners.
The Kim Muir – an amateur riders’ handicap chase – is named in his memory at the Festival.
5. Gordon Elliott – 40
Gordon Elliott is Mullins’ closest challenger in Ireland and the Cullentra trainer has celebrated 40 winners at the Cheltenham Festival since making his breakthrough in 2011.
Don Cossack sealed a Gold Cup success for Elliott in 2016, while his most famous horse, the two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll, won the Triumph Hurdle, National Hunt Chase and two runnings of the Cross Country Chase at the meeting.
6. Martin Pipe – 34
Martin Pipe was a trendsetter for training methods and celebrated 34 winners at the Cheltenham Festival.
Pipe was a trainer to keep on side in the Festival handicaps and also enjoyed success in the main prizes, including with Granville Again and the novice Make A Stand in the Champion Hurdle.
The conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle, the final race of the meeting, is named in honour of Pipe.
7. Fred Winter – 28
Fred Winter was an eight-time champion trainer in Britain and won the Gold Cup twice as a jockey and once as a trainer – the latter courtesy of Midnight Court.
Winter, who saddled 28 winners at the meeting, is always remembered in the race title for the juvenile handicap hurdle on the opening day of the Festival.
8. Fred Rimell – 27
Fred Rimell was another champion jockey to become a champion trainer. He was well known for his fine record in the Grand National but also trained 27 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including Gold Cup scorers Woodland Venture and Royal Frolic.
9. Jonjo O’Neill – 26
Jonjo O’Neill enjoyed career-highlight days as a jockey at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Sea Pigeon and Dawn Run and has since trained 27 winners at the big jumps fixture.
The JP McManus-owned Synchronised won the Gold Cup for O’Neill in 2012 and the trainer now shares his licence with son AJ.
10. Tom Dreaper – 26
Tom Dreaper was the trainer of Flyingbolt and Arkle and became a regular visitor to the Cheltenham winner’s enclosure in the 1960s.
The Irish trainer won the Gold Cup a record five times and shares the Champion Chase record of six winners with Henderson and Nicholls.
The leading trainers at Cheltenham 2025
Willie Mullins is the most successful trainer in Cheltenham history and will again be looking to get to double figures at this year’s Festival. Mullins trains some of the most well-known horses in racing, such as Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs and Champion Hurdle contender State Man.
Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Dan Skelton are also likely to be amongst the winners with strong Festival squads for the British.
The likes of Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Joseph O’Brien will all be aiming to give Mullins plenty to think about from the Irish contingent.
Stay tuned to the Betway Insider throughout the build-up to Cheltenham and the Festival itself for the latest Cheltenham betting tips, along with a comprehensive guide for betting on Cheltenham.
