Willie Mullins pictured with his son Patrick© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins completed a remarkable comeback at Punchestown to be crowned champion trainer as the curtain came down on a thrilling end to the jumps season.
The perennial champion appeared to have a mountain to climb at the start of the week as he trailed rival Gordon Elliott by a shade over €400,000.
But having gradually reduced the deficit, Mullins hit the front with a sparkling treble on Friday and headed into Saturday with a €91,295 lead.
Elliott gave himself hope as Apple's Jade ran out a brilliant winner of the Mares Champion Hurdle, but Mullins saddled the second, third, fourth and fifth, which meant he still went into the AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle with a healthy advantage.
Elliott badly needed Mega Fortune to deliver, but instead it was Mullins who effectively sealed the title with 2-1 favourite Bapaume ridden by Ruby Walsh.
That victory took Mullins' lead to €130,495 and while it was still mathematically possible for Elliott to claim the championship, his faint hopes were dashed when Space Cadet failed to make an impact in the three-mile handicap chase.
Mullins put a seal on his championship victory as Open Eagle claimed the lucrative two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle with 20-1 shot Open Eagle to eventually see off Elliott by €199,495.
"I didn't think it was possible for us to win, particularly when a few of the early photo-finishes went against us this week," said the Closutton handler.
"It's fantastic to win and a big thank you to all the team at home and all my owners. It's been a funny season. It hasn't been that enjoyable and I'm glad it's over.
"Gordon is a great competitor. He's fantastic and has been a gentleman the whole way through."
After leading for much of the season, Elliott admitted defeat was tough to take, even if Apple's Jade's victory meant he matched the record previously set by Mullins for the number of winners trained in a season.
He said: "It's a bit heartbreaking. We've led from day one of the season, but to be in the same sentence as Willie Mullins is brilliant. Hopefully we'll do it one year. I'm still only 39 and hopefully I'll be around for another few years.
"We've equalled Willie's record of 193 winners in a season. I said coming here that if I could equal that, it would be something. Of course I wanted to win (the trainer's championship), but at least that is something good. I'll keep my head up and enjoy it."
Gigginstown House Stud were crowned champion owners, while Ruby Walsh is the champion National Hunt jockey and Rachael Blackmore is champion conditional.
After riding four winners in two days, Patrick Mullins closed the gap on Jamie Codd to just one in the race to be crowned champion amateur but with both riders out of luck in the bumper, Codd was confirmed as the winner.
