The genius that is Willie Mullins is aiming to be top dog on both sides of the Irish Sea.
After I Am Maximus conquered the Aintree Grand National and bagged the £500,000 top prize, the Closutton handler climbed to the summit of the British Jump Trainers’ Championship standings with less than two weeks of the season to go.
However, the Scottish Grand National meeting’s opening day at Ayr on Friday, April 19, threatened to derail his attempt as second-placed Dan Skelton reeled off three winners to wipe out Mullins’ £30k lead and overtook the Irish trainer’s lead by just under £5,000. 15-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls, in third, also closed ground with a winner on the opening day, too.
But Mullins took the blows and hit back even harder on day two of the Ayr meeting with FOUR winners bringing in over £150,000, MacDermott coming up trumps in the biggest race of the day, the Scottish Grand National, and accounting for £112,540 of the day’s winnings.
Added to a £25k winner earlier in the day and two £10k purses later in the evening, the Irish trainer delivered what could be a knockout combo on Saturday afternoon.
A further winner at Ludlow on Wednesday means that Mullins now lead the Championship standings on £3,105,966 in prize money, with Skelton and reigning champion Paul Nicholls chasing him with £2,932,206 and £2,858,820 respectively, the Irishman’s Saturday successes catapulting him over £150,000 ahead of his English challengers going into the final days of the season.
And Mullins’ lead last Friday prompted Paddy’s trusty traders to make him the odds-on favourite to win the title for the first time – and moments after saddling the second Aintree Grand National winner in his career, the maestro signalled his intent to target the trainers’ crown.
He said: “We’re there with a chance. We’ll have to give it a good go so we might see you at Sandown, Perth, Ayr, or anywhere else!”
Incredibly, Paddy Power then paid out early on Mullins winning the title.
The race could go down to the final day of the season at Sandown on Saturday, April 27 and the bet365 Gold Cup, with its £95,659 to the first past the post, might prove crucial.
The Grade 1 Celebration Chase also features on the card and, you never know, Mullins could send over El Fabiolo or Gaelic Warrior if he needs to bag a big pot.
It looks like being a stonking end to the campaign.
British Jump Trainers’ Championship odds
British Jump Trainers’ Championship odds are on paddypower.com and prices for the leading contenders can be seen on our snazzy widgets below.
Willie Mullins remains the odds-on favourite with Paddy Power to win the British Jump Trainers’ Championship.
An incredible four winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including Langer Dan in the Coral Cup, briefly saw Dan Skelton top the standings and the Warwickshire-based handler is searching for a first title.
At the opposite end of the scale is Skelton’s former boss, Paul Nicholls, who is bidding to emulate the legendary Martin Pipe by winning a 15th trainers’ crown.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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