Heading into the 2025 Aintree Grand National Festival, Dan Skelton looked to have one hand on the British Trainer’s Championship Trophy. Having shot out of the traps with a flying start to the season, Skelton has set the pace throughout and moved to Merseyside with a £770,000 lead over Paul Nicholls and a £1.3 million gap back to defending champion Willie Mullins.
Having come so close to a first Trainers’ title in 2023/24, surely this would be his year. And it still might. However, if the first day of the Aintree Meeting is any guide, rather than pulling away from his rivals, Skelton may well be clinging on by the fingernails to repel a late charge from that man Mullins.
Four-Timer Closes Gap
If Mullins is to repeat his historic success from last season, he will need to enjoy a spectacular Grand National Festival. It’s fair to say that he started on the right foot. Four successive Grade 1 contests ensured that the Aintree meeting began in style, and Mullins swept them all.
Dan Skelton did his utmost to edge closer to the finish line by sending out the runner-up in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle and Aintree Bowl. However, following the victories of Impaire Et Passe, Murcia, Gaelic Warrior, and Lossiemouth, the standings in the Prize Money-based Trainers Championship looked as follows:
- Dan Skelton – £2,798,775
- Paul Nicholls – £2,067,797
- Nicky Henderson – £1,931,535
- Willie Mullins – £1,844,506
With 20 British Trainers’ Championship titles between them, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson certainly can’t be dismissed entirely. However, it is Mullins whom Skelton will fear most. The Closutton maestro may have a larger gap to bridge, but he boasts an armoury of talent to put all other National Hunt trainers in the shade.
Further Grade 1 Success Incoming?
A gap of almost £1 million still sets a stiff task, even for Mullins. However, the reigning champ has already amassed over £400,000 in prize money in April and ended April 2024 with over £1.4 million.
The finishing line may be hurtling ever closer, but enough big pots remain for Mullins to get up in the shadow of the post. The four Grade 1 contests on Day 2 at the Grand National Festival over £320,000 in first place prize money. Mullins boasted live challengers in them all, in the shape of Dancing City, Salvator Mundi, El Fabiolo, and Argento Boy, but only the second of those was victorious in the Top Novices’ Hurdle in addition to Gentleman De Mee in the Topham Handicap Chase.
Skelton, in contrast, had only two runners across all four Grade 1 races, which all failed to score, but he did pick up victory with She’s A Saint in the conditional jockeys’ and amateur riders’ race.
The top-tier contests on the final day at Aintree appear more evenly balanced. Skelton is without a runner in the £100,000 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, whilst the two Mullins entries are among the outsiders; in the £250,000 Liverpool, the duelling duo have one reasonably well-fancied runner apiece, whilst in the £120,000 Maghull Novices’ Chase, Skelton will hope to take advantage of Mullins’ absence with L’Eau du Sud.
Grand National Pivotal in Title Destination
However the chips fall in the remaining Grade 1 events, the Grand National itself is undoubtedly the most important remaining race in the battle for the title. And here, Mullins holds an overwhelming advantage.
In contrast to Skelton, who surprisingly doesn’t hold a Grand National entry in 2025, Mullins sends the following six stars in pursuit of the huge prize pool:
- I Am Maximus – Arrives as the defending champion and has been carried to the head of the market by a surge of support
- Minella Cocooner – Helped Mullins to the title last season with a win in the bet365 Gold Cup and may do his bit once again
- Meetingofthewaters – Finished seventh in the 2024 edition and is fancied by many to fare better this time around
- Nick Rockett – Arrives at the top of his game following a victory over Irish National winner Intense Raffles in the Bobbyjo Chase – a race which has proven to be a good pointer for the Grand National in the past
- Grangeclare West – High-class performer who may find this easier than butting heads with Galopin Des Champs and co
With £500,000 on offer for 1st place, £200,000 for second, and £100,000 for third, Skelton could be forgiven for watching the 2025 Grand National through his fingers. With the bet365 Gold Cup and Scottish Grand National still to come, we could be in for another nail-biting conclusion to the title race.
