Whilst the biggest events of the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National Meeting are in the books for another year, there is still much to play for in the 2024/25 National Hunt campaign – particularly for those associated with the yards of Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins.
With less than two weeks to go before the seasonal finale at Sandown, the British Trainers Championship remains firmly on the line. For much of 2025, it appeared that Skelton would be the man to claim the title for the first time. Over £1 million clear at the head of the standings following an electric 2024, what could possibly stop him? With the finishing line speeding into view, it appears that Willie Mullins may do just that.
Ahead by £1.3 million prior to the Aintree Grand National meeting, Skelton headed home from Merseyside, having witnessed that lead shrink to just £122,027. By the time the Mullins juggernaut had rattled in a 1-2 in the Scottish Grand National to complement a 1-2-3 in the Aintree showpiece, that lead had shrunk to a wafer-thin £1,431.
Captain Cody times his run to the line brilliantly to take the Coral Scottish National, edging out Klarc Kent at the line for another Mullins 1-2@CobdenHarry | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/AFtwJMthYy
— Ayr Racecourse (@ayrracecourse) April 12, 2025
Whilst the trend of recent weeks must concern Skelton, he still holds the lead, which many expected wouldn’t be the case at the conclusion of the Scottish Grand National Meeting. In the face of the Irish onslaught, Skelton has continued to chip away, with a win and two placed efforts at Warwick on Monday, 14th April, extending his lead to £8,005.
In a neck-and-neck battle, which looks set to go down to the wire, this week sees the training titans lock horns at the home of the jumping game.
Cheltenham: April Meeting
Kicking off today, the two-day Cheltenham April Meeting is the next fixture in the crosshairs of the duelling trainers. With £480,000 in prize money up for grabs over the course of the two days, this midweek highlight will have a significant bearing on the destination of the title.
Day 1: Silver Trophy Takes Centre Stage
Skelton outnumbers Mullins with 13 entries to eight at the meeting. However, it would be no surprise to see Mullins claim the lead after the first race on Day 1, with his two entries, Toad Hall and Dr Eggman, vying for favouritism in the £20,000 Citipost Novices’ Hurdle.
Skelton will then hope to take advantage of Mullins’ absence with Doyen Quest in the Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle before the pair lock horns in the most valuable contest at the fixture.
Offering £70,000 in total prize money (£39,865 of which goes to the winner), the Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase has understandably been targeted by both trainers. The Mullins duo of Classic Getaway and O’Moore Park are at the top of the market, closely followed by Skelton’s Riskintheground, in what promises to be a cracking contest.
The feature event of the day marks the end of the Mullins attack on the opening day, but Skelton has three further bullets to fire in the shape of Illico De Cotte (Brooklands Watches Golden Miller Racing Holman Handicap), Mr Hope Street (Safran Landing Systems Handicap Hurdle), and Williethebuilder (Cheltenham Pony Racing Authority Graduates Handicap Hurdle).
Day 2: Strong Challenge from Both Yards
Whoever sits atop the table at the end of Day 1, there is a fair chance that the lead will change hands again on Day 2.
The Thursday card opens with the £40,000 KTDA Fillies’ Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, with Mullins and Skelton boasting one entry apiece. Mullins’ Saint Lucie looked like a star in the making first time out at Punchestown but arrives with a dented reputation following subpar efforts at Leopardstown and Cheltenham. This represents a big step up in class for Skelton’s Our Lil, but she arrives in form following a smooth success at Doncaster.
Skelton then has a couple of free hits in Mullins-less events. Coco Mademoiselle and Lady Jogo go for gold in the Exertis-Samsung Racing Excellence Award Challenger Series Mares’ Chase Final, followed by Pawapuri in the Catesby Estates Mares’ Challenger Series Final Handicap Hurdle.
Skelton will hope to build a lead in those two contests as Mullins returns with a vengeance in the £50,000 Aston Martin Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase. Judicieuse Allen and A Penny A Hundred fly the flag for Cloussuton in a race where Skelton doesn’t hold an entry.
Following those one-sided events, the gloves are back on in the Changing Young Lives At Jamie’s Farm Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, as the Skelton-trained Settle Down Jill and Mullins representative Saint Tartare take to the track.
In common with Day 1, Mullins heads home early, leaving Skelton to take two shots at the prize money target with Shakeyatailfeather (Holland Cooper Mares’ Handicap Chase) and Sheezer Dancer (Junior Jumpers Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race).
Nothing will be settled at this cracking midweek fixture. However, with so much on the line and both trainers strongly represented, it will be a surprise if Mullins and Skelton don’t hit the target at least once over the course of the two days. But who will come out on top at the end of this high-class meeting?
