The China Mail - Gaelic Warrior caps a golden Cheltenham for Mullins and Townend

Townend became the most successful jockey in Gold Cup history with five wins whilst Mullins shares the record of a quintet of successes with late compatriot Tom Dreaper.

The duo had teamed up to win the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth on Tuesday, Il Etait Temps triumphing in Wednesday's Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Gaelic Warrior put on a scintillating display in front of a sell-out crowd, which included Princess Anne, two-time darts world champion Luke Littler and leading British actress Kristin Scott-Thomas.

It was a suitably brilliant climax to a meeting which welcomed some 226,000 spectators over the four days, up over 8,000 on last year.

"I'm a wreck!" said Gaelic Warrior's flamboyant winning owner Rich Ricci.

"I've been crying since the second-last fence.

"I've been trying to win this race for 21 years.

"Brilliant. Magic."

Both Mullins and Townend topped the trainer and jockey's standings for the Festival with eight and four wins apiece.

The Irish also edged England in The Prestbury Cup with 15 wins to 13 -- a tighter margin than recent years.

Mullins had a 100/1 winner in The Triumph Hurdle last year and struck for the fifth successive time in the race with a more modestly priced 50/1 shot Apolon de Charnie.

The 69-year-old Irishman trained nine of the 20 runners and it was his son Patrick who had chosen the right one to ride.

"He is not very big but he caught my eye," said Patrick, who was riding his 10th Festival winner.

"I am very proud of my father, he never doubted himself as much as this winter.

"He got a lot of advice from people 'you should be doing this or that' but he stuck to his guns."

- 'A tough one' -

The County Hurdle was another family affair as Jonjo O'Neill Junior rode Wilful -- co-trained by his brother AJ and dad Jonjo senior -- to victory in the County Hurdle.

The stable's second winner of the week on the biggest stage of all comes after a tough season in which at one point they stopped having runners because of a bug in the yard.

"To do it for your family is extra special," said Jonjo O'Neill Junior.

"I've had quite a troubled year, and I've had a lot of support from my family."

For O'Neill senior it came 40 years to the day, when as a jockey, he won a memorable Gold Cup on the legendary Irish mare Dawn Run.

Mullins was back in the winners enclosure again as Dinoblue coasted to victory under Mark Walsh to win the Mares Chase for a second successive time.

Owner JP McManus' lucky mascots, his granddaughters, had flown in from Switzerland, and the win confirmed the Irishman as leading owner of the week.

The rain then came down but it failed to dampen Johnny's Jury's parade as Gavin Sheehan guided him home in a thrilling finish to the Grade One Novices Hurdle for trainer Jamie Snowden.

They may be amateur riders but Henry Crow's ride on Barton Snow to win the penultimate race The Foxhunters Chase was labelled the 'best ride' of the Festival by legendary jockey AP McCoy.

The Irish signed off the meeting with the final winner, Air of Entitlement in a handicap hurdle, though, it would have been bitter sweet for trainer Henry de Bromhead.

His stable veteran Envoi Allen had collapsed and died after finishing last in the Gold Cup on what was meant to be his final appearance on a racetrack.

"He's gone doing what he loves, he just retired at that moment," said Richard Thompson, director of Chevely Park Stud owners of Envoi Allen.

"It's a tough one."

J.Thompson--ThChM