If there is one man you should never write off, it is surely Willie Mullins. However, many believed that a successful defense of his British Champion Trainer title would be a step too far. The market makers at Coral were so convinced that they closed the Champion Trainer betting market following the 2025 Cheltenham Festival – seemingly convinced that Dan Skelton could not be caught at the top of the table.
Mullins may have enjoyed another memorable meeting at Prestbury Park, but he still found himself well adrift of Skelton. Heading into the Aintree Grand National Festival, the deficit to the leader remained at £1.36 million. Too much even for Mullins, surely? Then again, maybe not.
Mullins needed just one race to blow much of that deficit to smithereens, with the 2025 edition of the Grand National providing the handler with a dream result. In saddling the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th in the Aintree showpiece, Mullins hauled in an incredible £860,000 of the total £1million in prize money on offer.
With Impaire Et Passe, Murcia, Gaelic Warrior, Lossiemouth, and Salvator Mundi doing their bit in Grade 1 events at the Merseyside venue, Mullins headed back to Ireland having reduced Skelton’s lead to a mere £122,2027. Next stop, Ayr, and the race is very much game-on once again.
Scottish Grand National Meeting in the Crosshairs
Having plundered one Grand National pot, Mullins has his eyes on another, with the reigning champ set to send a strong squad to the Ayr Scottish Grand National Festival this weekend. Anyone doubting how seriously Mullins is taking his latest assault on the British Trainer’s Championship need only look at the entries for the Saturday card at the coastal venue.
At the five-day stage, Mullins holds a whopping 40 entries at Ayr, including at least one runner in all eight races on the card. Every win counts in such a tight race, but at the Scottish Grand National Festival, two races stand tall above the rest.
Scottish Grand National
With £200,000 in total prize money, including £112,540 for the winner, the headline act falls well short of the Aintree equivalent but is still the most valuable event on the card. Before 2024, Mullins had failed to claim the Scottish Grand National. However, with the trainer’s title in sight, he chose an opportune moment to break his duck last time around with Macdermott.
12 months on, Mullins is responsible for 11 of the remaining 33 runners – 10 of whom are guaranteed a place in a maximum 30-runner field should the trainer so desire. You can make a reasonable case for all 11 of his runners, but the market suggests one of the following trio is most likely to edge Mullins closer to the title.
- Chosen Witness – Did his bit for the Mullins title challenge in 2024 when claiming the 3m novices’ handicap hurdle event on this card. He has yet to score over fences but takes a drop in class from Grade 2 company.
- High Class Hero – This talented sort had the quality to finish second in a Grade 1 hurdle at the 2024 Punchestown Festival and is yet to finish outside the first two in three starts over fences.
- Macdermott – 2024 hero who claimed a thrilling edition by a nose. 5lb higher this time, but that ability over track and trip counts for plenty.
Scottish Champion Hurdle
Mullins may only have one win in the Scottish Grand National, but that is one more than he has in the feature hurdle event on the card. Having saddled Bialystok to finish a narrow second in 2024, could he go one better and claim the very decent £56,270 top prize in 2025? With the following trio amongst the current entries, we wouldn’t be in a rush to bet against him.
- Kargese – Dual Grade 1 winner who bounced back to form with an impressive win in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
- Absurde – 2024 County Hurdle winner who finished third in the 2025 edition and is 6lb better off with his conqueror.
- Ethical Diamond – Only ¾l behind Absurde when fourth in the 2025 County Hurdle. 7lb better off with Kargese and less exposed than many in the field.
Whatever happens at the Scottish Grand National Festival, the title race is unlikely to be decided before the final day at Sandown. However, given the wealth of talent at his disposal, Mullins looks to have every chance of grabbing the lead with the finish line in sight.
