Willie Mullins won the jumps trainers’ title for the second year running after getting the better of a last-day showdown with Dan Skelton at Sandown. Skelton started the day over £68,000 in front of Mullins, but an easy win for the Oaksey Chase favourite, Gaelic Warrior, and then a surprise as Il Etait Temps topped the odds-on shot Jonbon in Celebration Chase enabled the defending champion to seize control. A victory in the last race for the Irish handler merely underlined his dominance but he had actually wrapped up the contest when saddling the second, third, fourth and fifth in the previous contest, the Bet365 Gold Cup. Mullins ended the season with a total of £3,570,990, £199,507 clear of Skelton, who had led the trainers’ championship on every single day of the campaign bar the last, on a final amount totalling £3,371,483. The master of Closutton became the first Irish-based handler since Vincent O’Brien in the 1950s to lift the UK jumps trophy on the closing afternoon of last season. Given the recruitment team Mullins has out sourcing horses for his yard and the high-profile owners he has with animals at his yard, we could be looking at a similar scenario next year and into the future with many other owners surely attracted to having horses with a man more dominant than any other National Hunt trainer in living memory. Mullins said: “The last few weeks have been tough and they must have been tough for Dan too. That’s the way things go. I am very happy for all our connections and owners who once again have supported us with their horses. “I am very happy to have won the title for the second time this year but I am not making any predictions for next season and we still have a week of the season to go in Ireland. I am going home now to get ready for next week. As I said last week, it feels special to do something similar to what Vincent O’Brien did but of course he then went and also did it on the Flat, which I won’t be doing! “It’s been tough mentally and I haven’t read the papers for the last four days with so much going on, or watched RacingTV. I was reading more about other sports because there was so much going on in racing I tried to keep away from it all. Otherwise, you couldn’t get through it and I’m sure Dan was the same. “The press and TV make it all so public and it has been great publicity for the sport going down to the last day.” 4.45 Sandown BET365 HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m 3f 173yds result 1 Jump Allen (H Cobden) 5-1 2 Mostly Sunny (Harry Skelton) 10-3 Fav 3 King Alexander (B Hayes) 18-1 10 ran 4.45 Sandown BET365 HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m 3f 173yds And they’re off … Push The Button leads with a circuit to go with Peacenik close up … all are close up halfway up the back straight … Jump Allen has the lead at the last and kicks clear for another Willie Mullins victory in the last. Dan Skelton congratulates Willie Mullins on his trainers’ title win 4.45 Sandown BET365 HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m 3f 173yds betting 4-1 Ike Sport 4-1 Mostly Sunny 9-2 Bunting 13-2 Jump Allen 9-1 Electric Mason 11-1 Push The Button 14-1 Dr Eggman 16-1 Got Grey 25-1 King Alexander 28-1 Peacenik Full betting vis Oddschecker 4.45 Sandown BET365 HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m 3f 173yds preview 1st £18,210, 2nd £8,372, 3rd £4,186, 4th 2,093, 5th £1,046, 6th £521.50 The title race will, in all likelihood, be done and dusted by this point, but who knows, perhaps the extra 50p on the prize for finishing sixth in the final race of the season will make all the difference. The championship contenders have certainly covered the bases with six of the 10 runners – four for Mullins and two for Skelton – with Paul Townend aboard the top weight, Bunting, although seemed quite sweet on the chance of Dr Eggman when he talked through his runners in a media call on Thursday. It would be no great surprise, though, if Neil Mulholland’s Ike Sport, last year’s winner, frustrated the pair of them with a repeat success, as he is only marginally higher in the weights this time around and looked to be running into form last time out. SELECTION: IKE SPORT Bunting (Mullins): Paul Townend’s pick, Grade One contender as a juvenile and plenty of time to progress over hurdles. King Alexander (Mullins): Beaten 20 lengths in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham last time, place chance at best. Dr Eggman (Mullins): strong second at Cheltenham two weeks ago, interesting with super-sub Danny Mullins aboard Jump Allen (Mullins): Novice with fair handicap form already, Harry Cobden’s booking catches the eye too. Mostly Sunny (Skelton): Good win at Plumpton five days ago, decent chance to follow up under 6lb penalty Got Grey (Skelton): consistent handicapper and top conditional takes off 3lb, perhaps still a touch high in the weights though. Willie has won it! 4.10 Sandown BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE result 1 Resplendent Grey (S Bowen) 9-2 2 Lombron (Rachael Blackmore) 10-1 3 High Class Hero (P Townend) 10-3 Fav 4 Spanish Harlem (Sam Twiston-Davies) 22-1 19 ran Non Runner: 17 4.10 Sandown BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE, 3m 4f 146yds And they’re off … Monbeg Genius has the lead in the early stages but there’s a long way to go … Dancing City has fallen and Minella Cocconer is out the back of the field … Olympic Man makes a mistake … Spanish Harlem is up near the lead … Hoe Joly Smoke is in midfield for Dan Skelton and Minella Cocconer still last … Resplendent Grey has made good ground and Lombron makes a bad mistake … Lombron takes up the lead at the last … Resplendent Grey comes late to win under the champion jockey Sean Bowen. As we head towards the Bet365 Gold Cup, a race in which Willie Mullins has ten runners and Dan Skelton one these are “the latest scores on the doors” Willie Mullins £3,478,997 Dan Skelton £3,362,590 … and Mullins leads by £116,407 4.10 Sandown BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE, 3m 4f 146yds betting 4-1 High Class Hero 9-2 Resplendent Grey 11-2 Minella Cocooner 9-1 Dancing City 11-1 Lombron 12-1 Omoore Park 14-1 Grangeclare West 14-1 Victtorino 20-1 Hoe Joly Smoke 22-1 Olympic Man 25-1 Goshen 33-1 Kings Threshold 33-1 Spanish Harlem 35-1 Threeunderthrufive 50-1 Monbeg Genius 50-1 Chosen Witness 50-1 Klarc Kent 100-1 Knockanore 100-1 Collectors Item Full betting via Oddschecker 4.10 BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE, 3m 4f 146yds preview 1st £98,472, 2nd £37,100, 3rd £18,567, 4th £9,275, 5th £4,655, 6th £2,327, 7th £1,155, 8th £595 A first prize of just over £98k and assuming he has not already tucked it up, told it a story and turned out the lights, this is where 10 Mullins-trained runners will look to finally put the title race to bed. That is a much bigger proportion of the field than he fielded for the Grand National earlier this month, when Mullins-trained horses registered an unprecedented 1-2-3 and filled five of the first seven places in all. Four of the Irish stable’s runners – High Class Hero, Minella Cocooner, Dancing City and Grangeclare West – are in the first five in the betting, while Skelton fields just one opponent – a 16-1 shot, Hoe Joly Smoke. To be in with any chance, Skelton may well need Hoe Joly Smoke to win and non-Mullins horses – such as Resplendent Grey and Transmission – to finish second and third, which is a remote possibility, but a possibility all the same. SELECTION: MINELLA COCOONER High Class Hero (Mullins): Paul Townend, stable No.1, is aboard, lightly-raced and should improve for the trip. Minella Cocooner (Mullins): last year’s winner, loves spring ground and back to form in the Grand National. Dancing City (Mullins): Multiple Grade One winner over hurdles, still early days over fences and should get the trip. Grangeclare West (Mullins): third in Grand National despite bad mistake at the last, but giving weight to the field. Lombron (Mullins): off the mark over fences on third attempt last time, Rachael Blackmore rides but unproven at trip. Olympic Man (Mullins): wears a hood after looking like non-stayer at an extreme trip latest. Probably looking for place money. O’Moore Park (Mullins): Good second at Cheltenham 10 days ago, likes ground and could take minor placing. Spanish Harlem (Mullins): no luck at all when fancied for Scottish Grand National earlier this month, interesting outsider Chosen Witness (Mullins): non-stayer in Scottish Grand National so this trip has to be a worry. Klarc Kent (Mullins): runner-up in Scottish Grand National two weeks ago, yet to win over fences though. Hoe Joly Smoke (Skelton): winner twice from four starts this season, but well out of the weights here. 3.35 Sandown BET 365 CELEBRATION CHASE, GRADE ONE result 1 Il Etait Temps (D E Mullins) 9-2 2 Jonbon (M P Walsh) 8-15 Fav 3 Energumene (P Townend) 11-2 7 ran 3.35 Sandown BET 365 CELEBRATION CHASE, GRADE ONE And they’re off … Jonbon leads early and will try and make all the running … old rival Energumene is sin second spot with Unexpected Party third … Edwardstone is in midfield and Harper’s Brook is plum last … they are at halfway … and nothing much has changed in the order … into the home straight … Il Etait Temps comes with a challenge and now takes the lead … and goes clear and I think that’s the title just about wrapped up for Willie Mullins. Over at Navan, the Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios has won at prohibitive odds of 1-7. He is unchanged at 11-8 with Betfair to win again at the Royal meeting in June. 3.35 Sandown BET 365 CELEBRATION CHASE, GRADE ONE, 1m 7f 99yds betting 4-7 Jonbon 5-1 Il Etait Temps 13-2 Energumene 20-1 Master Chewy 22-1 Edwardstone 28-1 Unexpected Party 200-1 Harpers Brook Full betting via Oddschecker 3.35 Sandown BET 365 CELEBRATION CHASE, GRADE ONE, 1m 7f 99yds preview 1st £99,662, 2nd £37,397, 3rd £18,725, 4th £9,327, 5th £4,690, 6th £2,345 Jointly with the Bet365 Gold Cup that comes up next, this is the most valuable contest on the card and it looks likely to evade both Mullins and Skelton as Nicky Henderson’s wonderfully consistent Jonbon is odds-on to win for the third year running. Mullins sends Energumene, a dual Champion Chase winner, but the ground is likely to be much quicker than he would like and if there is going to be an upset, another Mullins runner, Il Etait Temps, is much more likely to supply it. SELECTION: JONBON Energumene (Mullins): top-class at his best but without a win this year and would like more cut. Il Etait Temps (Mullins): Grade One winner at Punchestown on his last start nearly a year ago, but something to find with Jonbon on that form. Unexpected Party (Skelton): useful handicapper at his best but looks out of his depth in this company. Willie Mullins takes the lead with the third in the 3.00 at Sandown and both Dan Skelton runners unplaced. Mulllins now has a £2,709 advantage over his rival. 3.00 Sandown BET365 SELECT HURDLE, GRADE 2 result 1 Blueking D’oroux (H Cobden) 10-1 2 Salver (Caoilin Quinn) 11-2 3 Kitzbuhel (P Townend) 9-4 Fav 6 ran 3.00 Sandown BET365 SELECT HURDLE, GRADE 2, 2m 5f 11Oyds And they’re off … Blueking D’Oroux leaads with a circuit to go … Take No Chances for the Skeltons is second and stablemate Gwennie May Boy is in third … all going pretty well … Salver is in last as they turn for home but they are all close up … Blueking D’Oroux holds on to win and it’s tight for second. Willie Mullins is now only £2,635 behind Dan Skelton in the trainers’ title duel after the bet365 Oaksey Chase 3.00 Sandown BET365 SELECT HURDLE, GRADE 2, 2m 5f 11Oyds betting 7-4 Kitzbuhel 3-1 Lucky Place 9-2 Take No Chances 15-2 Blueking Doroux 8-1 Salver 25-1 Gwennie May Boy Full betting via Oddschecker 3.00 Sandown BET365 SELECT HURDLE, GRADE 2, 2m 5f 11Oyds preview 1st £45,560, 2nd £17,096, 3rd £8,560, 4th £4,264, 5th £2,144, 6th £1,072 One runner apiece for Mullins and Skelton, and a win for Take No Chances could conceivably be a momentum-shifter for Skelton, for all that Kitzbuhel looks like a very worthy favourite for his big rival. Take No Chances has finished a very respectable third behind Mullins’s top-class Lossiemouth in Grade One events at Cheltenham and Aintree on her last two starts, and her 5lb mares’ allowance is handy too. Kitzbuhel, though, is a very stern opponent, has more scope for progress than Skelton’s mare after just three starts for the Mullins yard and has a few pounds in hand on Timeform ratings. SELECTION: KITZBUHEL Kitzbuhel (Mullins): in his first season for the stable and still open to plenty of improvement. Take No Chances (Skelton): never runs a bad race but a few pounds to find outside mares-only company. 2.25 Sandown BET365 OAKSEY CHASE, GRADE TWO result 1 Gaelic Warrior (P Townend) 5-6 Fav 2 Appreciate It (S F O’Keeffe) 16-1 3 Ga Law (G Sheehan) 28-1 9 ran Also: 8-1 Gentleman De Mee 4th 2.25 Sandown BET365 OAKSEY CHASE, GRADE TWO 2m 6m 164yds And they’re off … Ga Law takes the lead and Pic D’Orhy makes a bad mistake early on and drops out to the back of the field pretty swiftly … Pic D’Orhy has been pulled up before the end of the first circuit … Classic Getaway has the lead now and Ga Law makes a shuddering mistake … Gaelic Warrior begins to make ground … and is poised to challenge at the second-last … he kicks clear and wins well for Willie Mullins, who also has the second in Appreciate It and the fourth in Gentleman De Mee. Mullins has nearly taken the lead already! How the title race stands as runners from the trainers’ yards face up to each other for the first time at Sandown on the final day of the jumps season in the 2.25pm. Dan’s laughing for now … trainers’ title rivals meet at Sandown. 2.25 Sandown BET365 OAKSEY CHASE, GRADE TWO, 2m 6m 164yds betting 10-11 Gaelic Warrior 10-3 Pic Dorhy 7-1 Gentleman De Mee 18-1 Boombawn 22-1 Appreciate It 30-1 Hitman 35-1 Ga Law 40-1 Classic Getaway 50-1 Le Patron Full betting via Oddschecker 2.25 Sandown BET365 OAKSEY CHASE, GRADE TWO, 2m 6m 164yds preview 1st £45,560, 2nd £17,096, 3rd £8,560, 4th £4,264, 5th £2,144, 6th £1,072 The first head-to-head between the title rivals on today’s card, but Skelton’s only runner, Boombawn, is one of the outsiders and he will be more hopeful that his old boss, Paul Nicholls, will take the major spoils with Pic D’Orhy. He is the clear danger on form to Mullins’s Gaelic Warrior, who returned to form with a smooth victory at Aintree’s Grand National meeting earlier this month, but this very much looks like the moment when Mullins will start to stamp his authority on the proceedings. Gaelic Warrior is a very obvious favourite on his Aintree form and Gentleman De Mee and Appreciate It also have a fair chance of picking up some useful place money. SELECTION: GAELIC WARRIOR Trainers’ title guide to runners Gaelic Warrior (Mullins): clear on ratings and an obvious favourite on his winning form at Aintree three weeks ago. Gentleman De Mee (Mullins): Plenty of miles on the clock but arrives in winning form, second prize of £17k would be useful. Appreciate It (Mullins): top two-mile novice back in the day, running for place money here. Classic Getaway (Mullins): more a handicapper than a Graded performer but third or fourth would serve a purpose. Boombawn (Skelton): ran well enough in a Grade One last time but probably looking for a minor placing. 1 Mark Of Gold (Caoilin Quinn) 11-1 2 Mahons Glory (Lee Edwards) 14-1 3 Inedit Star (Tom Broughton) 10-1 9 ran 1.50 Sandown BET365 JOSH GIFFORD NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE And they’re off … Classic Anthem, the favourite, makes a bad mistake at the first and pecks on landing … Riskintheground for Dan Skelton is right at the back … Mahons Glory is in the lead … and jumping well at this stage … all appear to be in with a chance at halfway … Mahons Glory goes for home and Classic Anthem is in trouble … Mark Of Gold takes over at the last … Mahons Glory fights back but doesn’t make it. Dan Skelton is OUT of the prize money with the disappointing Riskintheground. 1.50 Sandown BET365 JOSH GIFFORD NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE, 2m 4f betting 5-2 Classic Anthem 4-1 Eyed 6-1 Riskintheground 15-2 Insurrection 11-1 Inedit Star 11-1 Mahons Glory 14-1 Pic Roc 16-1 Mark Of Gold 18-1 Bad Full betting via Oddschecker 1.50 Sandown BET365 JOSH GIFFORD NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE, 2m 4f preview 1st £20,812, 2nd £9,568, 3rd £4,784, 4th £2,392, 5th £1,196, 6th £596 Another free hit for Dan Skelton as Mullins does not have a runner, and Riskintheground looks like a serious contender for this useful prize. The eight-year-old has already made a fine contribution to the cause in recent weeks, winning races at Ayr and Cheltenham which added around £66k to the stable’s haul for the season, and his ability to take races in quick succession is a big asset as he attempts to complete a quick hat-trick. SELECTION: RISKINTHEGROUND Riskintheground (Dan Skelton): loves the ground and bounces back quickly after a race, big chance to make another useful contribution to trainer’s total. Leicester races have been getting some stick lately and this won’t help. The first race is 1.35pm and I hope he gets across the road before then! 1 Give It To Me Oj (Caoilin Quinn) 20-1 2 Mythical Moon (Brendan Powell) 8-1 3 Fasol (Harry Skelton) 15-2 14 ran Also: 5-1 Fav Sorceleur, 15-2 Serious Challenge 4th Non Runner: 10 1.20 Sandown BET365 NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE And they’re off … Sorceleur and Wolf Man lead the pack in the early stages … We’re Red And Blue now takes it up … Marche D’Aligre willl not be winning … Give It To Me Oj the top weight makes a serious challenge up the home straight and holds off the challenge of Mythical Moon in the closing stages. 1.20 Sandown BET365 NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m betting Serious Challenge 9-2 Sorceleur 13-2 Wolf Moon 15-2 John Barbour 8-1 Kientzheim 9-1 Were Red And Blue 9-1 Nardaran 12-1 Fasol 14-1 Mythical Moon 16-1 St Pancras 16-1 Quantock Hills 18-1 Hms President 18-1 Marche Daligre 22-1 Give It To Me Oj 25-1 Full betting via Oddschecker 1.20 Sandown BET365 NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m preview 1st £51,440, 2nd £23,650, 3rd £11,830, 4th £5,910, 5th £2,960, 6th £1,470, 7th £740, 8th £370.00 A £51k final – horses need to have run in a qualifier to get into the field – but only one runner with any relevance to the National Hunt title race, and Dan Skelton’s Fasol is a relative outsider at 12-1. The key piece of form here definitely looks to be a novice hurdle at Southwell just 10 days ago, when Serious Challenge came home two-and-a-quarter lengths in front of John Barbour, with Sorceleur and Kientzheim next over the line. All four are in opposition again today under handicap conditions, and John Barbour, who is 7lb better off Serious Challenge, could be the one who comes out in front this time around. Non-runner: Big Ginge SELECTION: JOHN BARBOUR The jump jockeys’ championship has at least been decided. Sean Bowen, who is improving in leaps and bounds in the saddle, is a deserved winner. 4.45 BET365 HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m 3f 173yds 1st £18,210, 2nd £8,372, 3rd £4,186, 4th 2,093, 5th £1,046, 6th £521.50 The title race will, in all likelihood, be done and dusted by this point, but who knows, perhaps the extra 50p on the prize for finishing sixth in the final race of the season will make all the difference. The championship contenders have certainly covered the bases with six of the 10 runners – four for Mullins and two for Skelton – with Paul Townend aboard the top weight, Bunting, although seemed quite sweet on the chance of Dr Eggman when he talked through his runners in a media call on Thursday. It would be no great surprise, though, if Neil Mulholland’s Ike Sport, last year’s winner, frustrated the pair of them with a repeat success, as he is only marginally higher in the weights this time around and looked to be running into form last time out. SELECTION: IKE SPORT Bunting (Mullins): Paul Townend’s pick, Grade One contender as a juvenile and plenty of time to progress over hurdles. King Alexander (Mullins): Beaten 20 lengths in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham last time, place chance at best. Dr Eggman (Mullins): strong second at Cheltenham two weeks ago, interesting with super-sub Danny Mullins aboard Jump Allen (Mullins): Novice with fair handicap form already, Harry Cobden’s booking catches the eye too. Mostly Sunny (Skelton): Good win at Plumpton five days ago, decent chance to follow up under 6lb penalty Got Grey (Skelton): consistent handicapper and top conditional takes off 3lb, perhaps still a touch high in the weights though. 4.10 BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE, 3m 4f 146yds preview 1st £98,472, 2nd £37,100, 3rd £18,567, 4th £9,275, 5th £4,655, 6th £2,327, 7th £1,155, 8th £595 A first prize of just over £98k and assuming he has not already tucked it up, told it a story and turned out the lights, this is where 10 Mullins-trained runners will look to finally put the title race to bed. That is a much bigger proportion of the field than he fielded for the Grand National earlier this month, when Mullins-trained horses registered an unprecedented 1-2-3 and filled five of the first seven places in all. Four of the Irish stable’s runners – High Class Hero, Minella Cocooner, Dancing City and Grangeclare West – are in the first five in the betting, while Skelton fields just one opponent – a 16-1 shot, Hoe Joly Smoke. To be in with any chance, Skelton may well need Hoe Joly Smoke to win and non-Mullins horses – such as Resplendent Grey and Transmission – to finish second and third, which is a remote possibility, but a possibility all the same. SELECTION: MINELLA COCOONER High Class Hero (Mullins): Paul Townend, stable No.1, is aboard, lightly-raced and should improve for the trip. Minella Cocooner (Mullins): last year’s winner, loves spring ground and back to form in the Grand National. Dancing City (Mullins): Multiple Grade One winner over hurdles, still early days over fences and should get the trip. Grangeclare West (Mullins): third in Grand National despite bad mistake at the last, but giving weight to the field. Lombron (Mullins): off the mark over fences on third attempt last time, Rachael Blackmore rides but unproven at trip. Olympic Man (Mullins): wears a hood after looking like non-stayer at an extreme trip latest. Probably looking for place money. O’Moore Park (Mullins): Good second at Cheltenham 10 days ago, likes ground and could take minor placing. Spanish Harlem (Mullins): no luck at all when fancied for Scottish Grand National earlier this month, interesting outsider Chosen Witness (Mullins): non-stayer in Scottish Grand National so this trip has to be a worry. Klarc Kent (Mullins): runner-up in Scottish Grand National two weeks ago, yet to win over fences though. Hoe Joly Smoke (Skelton): winner twice from four starts this season, but well out of the weights here. 3.35 BET 365 CELEBRATION CHASE, GRADE ONE, 1m 7f 99yds preview 1st £99,662, 2nd £37,397, 3rd £18,725, 4th £9,327, 5th £4,690, 6th £2,345 Jointly with the Bet365 Gold Cup that comes up next, this is the most valuable contest on the card and it looks likely to evade both Mullins and Skelton as Nicky Henderson’s wonderfully consistent Jonbon is odds-on to win for the third year running. Mullins sends Energumene, a dual Champion Chase winner, but the ground is likely to be much quicker than he would like and if there is going to be an upset, another Mullins runner, Il Etait Temps, is much more likely to supply it. SELECTION: JONBON Energumene (Mullins): top-class at his best but without a win this year and would like more cut. Il Etait Temps (Mullins): Grade One winner at Punchestown on his last start nearly a year ago, but something to find with Jonbon on that form. Unexpected Party (Skelton): useful handicapper at his best but looks out of his depth in this company. 3.00 BET365 SELECT HURDLE, GRADE 2, 2m 5f 11Oyds preview 1st £45,560, 2nd £17,096, 3rd £8,560, 4th £4,264, 5th £2,144, 6th £1,072 One runner apiece for Mullins and Skelton, and a win for Take No Chances could conceivably be a momentum-shifter for Skelton, for all that Kitzbuhel looks like a very worthy favourite for his big rival. Take No Chances has finished a very respectable third behind Mullins’s top-class Lossiemouth in Grade One events at Cheltenham and Aintree on her last two starts, and her 5lb mares’ allowance is handy too. Kitzbuhel, though, is a very stern opponent, has more scope for progress than Skelton’s mare after just three starts for the Mullins yard and has a few pounds in hand on Timeform ratings. SELECTION: KITZBUHEL Kitzbuhel (Mullins): in his first season for the stable and still open to plenty of improvement. Take No Chances (Skelton): never runs a bad race but a few pounds to find outside mares-only company. Dan Skelton has arrived at Sandown en famille … 2.25 BET365 OAKSEY CHASE, GRADE TWO, 2m 6m 164yds preview 1st £45,560, 2nd £17,096, 3rd £8,560, 4th £4,264, 5th £2,144, 6th £1,072 The first head-to-head between the title rivals on today’s card, but Skelton’s only runner, Boombawn, is one of the outsiders and he will be more hopeful that his old boss, Paul Nicholls, will take the major spoils with Pic D’Orhy. He is the clear danger on form to Mullins’s Gaelic Warrior, who returned to form with a smooth victory at Aintree’s Grand National meeting earlier this month, but this very much looks like the moment when Mullins will start to stamp his authority on the proceedings. Gaelic Warrior is a very obvious favourite on his Aintree form and Gentleman De Mee and Appreciate It also have a fair chance of picking up some useful place money. SELECTION: GAELIC WARRIOR Gaelic Warrior (Mullins): clear on ratings and an obvious favourite on his winning form at Aintree three weeks ago. Gentleman De Mee (Mullins): Plenty of miles on the clock but arrives in winning form, second prize of £17k would be useful. Appreciate It (Mullins): top two-mile novice back in the day, running for place money here. Classic Getaway (Mullins): more a handicapper than a Graded performer but third or fourth would serve a purpose. Boombawn (Skelton): ran well enough in a Grade One last time but probably looking for a minor placing. Our so-called rivals have gone to town over the trainers’ title business, with the “Currant Bun” riffing on the Benn-Eubank bout. Will be a long time since the Sun had Latin in its pages! “Numquam desistas”, by the way, means “Never give up”. 1.50 BET365 JOSH GIFFORD NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE, 2m 4f preview 1st £20,812, 2nd £9,568, 3rd £4,784, 4th £2,392, 5th £1,196, 6th £596 Another free hit for Dan Skelton as Mullins does not have a runner, and Riskintheground looks like a serious contender for this useful prize. The eight-year-old has already made a fine contribution to the cause in recent weeks, winning races at Ayr and Cheltenham which added around £66k to the stable’s haul for the season, and his ability to take races in quick succession is a big asset as he attempts to complete a quick hat-trick. SELECTION: RISKINTHEGROUND Riskintheground (Dan Skelton): loves the ground and bounces back quickly after a race, big chance to make another useful contribution to trainer’s total. Greg’s been hard at work sorting out tomorrow’s winners too. Here are the Sunday tips: Over the next hour we’ll bring you Greg Wood’s Sandown race-by-race guide with his analysis of every runner from Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton as they duel for the trainers’ title on the final day of the jumps season. 1.20 BET365 NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE, 2m preview 1st £51,440, 2nd £23,650, 3rd £11,830, 4th £5,910, 5th £2,960, 6th £1,470, 7th £740, 8th £370.00 A £51k final – horses need to have run in a qualifier to get into the field – but only one runner with any relevance to the National Hunt title race, and Dan Skelton’s Fasol is a relative outsider at 12-1. The key piece of form here definitely looks to be a novice hurdle at Southwell just 10 days ago, when Serious Challenge came home two-and-a-quarter lengths in front of John Barbour, with Sorceleur and Kientzheim next over the line. All four are in opposition again today under handicap conditions, and John Barbour, who is 7lb better off Serious Challenge, could be the one who comes out in front this time around. Non-runner: Big Ginge SELECTION: JOHN BARBOUR The boffins at respected ratings organisation Timeform have crunched the numbers for us and that 1-5 about Willie Mullins is beginning to look very generous. Yikes … Mr Mullins has more 145+ rated horses running today than Skelton and Henderson have in their yards combined! Timeform ratings highlight the incredible strength in depth at Mullins’ disposal and just how difficult a task Dan Skelton has faced in trying to wrest the title from the champion. After the retirement of Langer Dan, Skelton was left with seven horses with a Timeform rating of 145 or higher, the benchmark for smart form over jumps, while Etalon also reached that level when successful at Perth on Wednesday. In contrast, Mullins has a remarkable 58 horses rated 145 or higher, providing him with a far deeper pool of horses to choose from in the most valuable end-of-season races that has enabled him to rapidly eat into the lead Skelton has spent all season accumulating and will probably prove decisive in the trainers’ championship. Tony McFadden, deputy racing editor at Timeform and Sporting Life, points out: “At Sandown today alone Mullins has 21 horses declared, 11 of whom have smart Timeform ratings. That’s more horses rated 145+ running on one card than Skelton (8) and Nicky Henderson (10) could call upon and only one fewer than Paul Nicholls has in his stable. “It is not by luck that Mullins has been able to acquire such a deep and talented team - he is reaping the rewards for decades of success. But when the Mullins juggernaut fixes on a target there is now almost an inevitability it will crush anything in its path.” Some star quality at Sandown. She makes regular appearance on the live blog as she loves her racing. Good morning Carol Vorderman … The Dan Skelton Sandown squad 1.20: bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (£100,000) No runners 1.50: bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (£40,000) Riskintheground 2.25: bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2, £80,000) Boombawn 3.00: bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2, £80,000) Gwennie May Boy, Take No Chances 3.35: bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1, £175,000) Harper’s Brook, Unexpected Party 4.10: bet365 Gold Cup (£175,000) Holy Joe Smoke 4.45: bet365 Handicap Hurdle (£35,000) Mostly Sunny, Got Grey The Willie Mulllins Sandown squad 1.20: bet365 Novice Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (£100,000) No runners 1.50: bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (£40,000) No runners 2.25: bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2, £80,000) Apreciate It, Classic Getaway, Gaelic Warrior, Gentleman De Mee 3.00: bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2, £80,000) Kitzbuhel 3.35: bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1, £175,000) Energumene, Il Etait Temps 4.10: bet365 Gold Cup (£175,000) Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner, Dancing City, High Class Hero, Lombron, Olympic Man, O’Morre Park, Spanish Harlem, Chosen Witness, Klarc Kent 4.45: bet365 Handicap Hurdle (£35,000) Bunting, King Alexander, Dr Eggman, Jump Allen And they’re off. Welcome to the new regular Guardian racing blog. We’ll be here on every big racing Saturday throughout the year (including “Super Saturday” in July when the blogger on the day will have to be stretchered off before the last race) and what a way to start with the trainers’ title duel set to be decided on the final day of jumps racing of the season. Dan Skelton, who has led all the way from day one, is set to be overtaken (spoiler alert) by the relentless Willie Mullins steamroller this afternoon who the bookies are currently quoting at a prohibitive 1-5. For every five quid you put on Willie to lift the trophy you get one back (plus your stake of course). But this is sport and glorious uncertainties are always possible. Dan has nine runners declared at Sandown and Willie has sent 21 over from his Irish base; Dan has amassed £3,325,540 in prize money this season so far and Willie £3,284,057. Skelton currently leads by £68,483. Mullins, though, outnumbers Skelton 10 to one in the big betting race of the day, the bet365 Gold Cup at 4.10pm, and has twice as many runners in the concluding bet365 Handicap Hurdle at 4.45pm with four. Twelve months ago Mullins headed to Sandown, which traditionally hosts the final day of the jumps season, with a six-figure lead over Skelton and perennial champion Paul Nicholls and never looked in serious danger of being reeled in, with victories for Minella Cocooner and Impaire Et Passe ensuring he became the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O’Brien 70 years earlier to lift the British title. There is a slightly different feel to the conclusion of this year’s race, with Skelton having led the way for virtually the entire campaign and he appeared home and hosed before Mullins fired in eight winners across three days at Aintree and saddled five of the first seven home in the Grand National. Skelton, though, admits he is fearing the worst. “Everyone here is full of hope and full of the possibility, but I feel like I know what’s coming [today],” he said. “I’ve known since Aintree that Willie was going to bring a few over for the Scottish National and a few for the midweek meetings and then he was going to attack Sandown with some vigour. “But I didn’t sit back after Aintree and say the inevitability of all this is going to subdue me and my team. We’ve come out and done everything we can, our horses have been phenomenal and I’m so proud of everybody.” Stay with us to follow all the twists and turns of the title race but that’s not all today. We have Ascot Gold Cup hero Kyprios returning at Navan with a third victory in the most prestigious race at Royal Ascot his main target. And we’ll have all the news and action throughout the day. The eyecatchers, the gambles and the ones that got away. Keep tuned to this blog and you won’t miss a thing.
Author: Tony Paley