An amateur riding career is the path to training glory and Willie Mullins is the epitome of that curious reality

Willie Mullins delivered the Cheltenham many had expected, and although Champion Hurdle winner State Man and Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs are French-breds, it is ample consolation that the horse he believes could emulate Dawn Run and win both of those championship races in the years to come is the ex-Irish pointer Ballyburn.

Furthermore the trainer's 100th Cheltenham Festival winner came courtesy of another pointer; and indeed, like Ballyburn, another Loughanmore winner in Jasmin De Vaux, who reached the landmark under his son Patrick. Mullins himself was a top-class amateur which, interestingly, seems to be the source of a disproportionate number of trainers compared to their former professional jockey counterparts.

Gordon Elliott, who enjoyed a career largely in the amateur ranks, secured three festival winners last week, and Gavin Cromwell, who had a short amateur career, scored twice.

Former top amateur Aidan O’Brien was among the winners as the Flat season got under way at the Curragh on Monday and looks set to dominate once more in a sphere where he will come up against fellow ex-amateurs Dermot Weld and Mick Halford, among others.

In recent weeks point-to-pointing has seen record-breaking rider Derek O’Connor turn his hand seamlessly to training point winners and, on Sunday, Jamie Codd, along with his father Billy, lifted a four-year-old maiden contest with a homebred to give their yard a third winner from just 12 runners this season.

Like O’Connor, Rob James and Harley Dunne combine riding with training, while both Declan Queally and Noel McParlan are heavily involved with their respective father’s operations. Look at the top of the handlers' leaderboard and you will find many more former amateur riders such as Elliott, Pat Doyle, David Christie, Ger Quinn, Denis Murphy, Aidan Fitzgerald and Warren Ewing.

Ex-professional Sam Curling is very much the exception, with those from the paid ranks notable by their absence from the training vocation in points. There is a definite bias towards former amateurs going on to become top trainers. Perhaps not having a career where an agent books rides, payments are managed by an automatic system upon weighing out, and valets cater for their every need is not the grounding to match that of an amateur, who must manage their own career – from acquiring rides, to payment for riding out and all that goes with the role.

This could be too simple a perspective, but the amateur route seems to be a proven path to training success far beyond the professional riding equivalent.

Weekend fixtures

Saturday
Portrush, first race 1.30

Sunday
Lisronagh, first race 2.00

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