Minella Cocooner provided the icing on the cake for new champion trainer Willie Mullins by winning the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
Partnered, like last week’s Coral Scottish Grand National winner Macdermott, by the handler’s nephew Danny, the 17/2 winner made stealthy headway to join the long-time leader Annual Invictus (20/1) jumping the final fence.
The runner-up went down all guns blazing, refusing to yield until the final strides, going down only by a neck. Nick Rockett (7/1) was third for the all-conquering Closutton team.
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Danny Mullins said: “It’s just fantastic. I knew crossing the line this time today, that’s a little bit nicer than last week, but credit to the horse. He ran a great race four weeks ago on heavy ground at Fairyhouse and that’s the mastery of Willie Mullins, he comes back bouncing again to deliver.
“Willie has been very good in how he has been training him between the races, it was very different to what he’d been doing before Fairyhouse. He’s had him coming here bouncing."
On his uncle being crowned champion in Britain, Mullins added: “This is something that shouldn’t be achievable, but he’s gone and done it. Everyone said it was over after last week but we kept thinking it’s not done till it’s done. Even going out today I thought I wanted to go out and win another one and Minella Cocooner is as tough as nails. It means so much to the lads to be here on these big days.”
“For my nephew Danny to ride, it was special, especially after what he did last week in Ayr,” said the winning trainer.
“He gave the horse a tremendous ride, he was doing the right thing going down the back, got him balanced and travelling and got two tremendous jumps over the last two fences.
“Danny is our super-sub, he has been fantastic for us all season so congratulations to Danny and to my owners too for letting me come here rather than Punchestown.”
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