'We might see you at Sandown, Perth, Ayr, or anywhere else!' - Willie Mullins gunning for trainers' title after Grand National win

The unthinkable is now not only thinkable but almost inevitable, as Willie Mullins looks set to conquer two nations in one season. 

The 17-time champion trainer in Ireland is now 8-13 favourite (from 13-8) with Ladbrokes to emulate Vincent O'Brien exactly 70 years ago by becoming British champion trainer, as a second Grand National triumph with I Am Maximus saw him rocket to the top of the table by £52,807 from Dan Skelton.

The Mullins earnings in Britain now stand at £2,874,693 as he added the richest prize available in jump racing to the four Grade 1s already annexed at the meeting and the nine winners he had at the Cheltenham Festival last month. 

Mullins mania has taken over the big festivals this spring and he now has his eyes on the smaller ones too. Merely minutes after I Am Maximus had crossed the line, he was already thinking ahead. 

"We're there with a chance," he said of his bid for the British title. "We'll have to give it a good go so we might see you at Sandown, Perth, Ayr, or anywhere else!"

If you're a Scot and you fancy a selfie with Mullins, you can guarantee he will be at Ayr next weekend as he has a whopping team of ten to pick from in the Coral Scottish Grand National, a race he has never won before. That could be about to change. 

It is hard to envisage Adamantly Chosen, Glengouly or Mr Incredible showing up after their Grand National exertions, while James Du Berlais was thwarted late in the Topham so he's a likely absentee, too, but recent Fairyhouse winner Macdermott looked a different horse when stepped up to three miles there and is as short as 12-1 with bet365. 

Spanish Harlem and Irish National sixth We'llhavewan could easily show up, too, while Klarc Kent might not quite be superman, but he jumps brilliantly and could have a squeak in it too. 

Mullins could easily run four of five in search of that £112,540 first prize which would give him an unassailable lead. 

He also has four or five in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle, worth £56,270 to the winner, and Bialystok could be the best of his quintet there. None of his representatives are single figures in the ante-post market. 

Nick Rockett: looks the pick of Willie Mullins' bet365 Gold Cup entriesCredit: Caroline Norris

There are 13 entries from Closutton in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on the final day of the jumps season, and Nick Rockett stands out among those. He was sent off 4-1 favourite for the Irish Grand National, in which he didn't jump particularly well and never really looked like justifying favouritism. 

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “This year’s trainers' title race is giving the Premier League race a run for its money. In what has turned into a very exciting three-horse race, Willie Mullins’ Grand National victory has put him firmly in front of his rivals.”

Mullins is now odds-on, while second-placed Skelton is 5-2 and Paul Nicholls has drifted all the way out to 4-1.

It is now eight years since Mullins and Nicholls went right to the wire in the title race. The pair had 29 of the 82 declared runners on the card at Sandown between them.

Mullins only managed one winner that day – McKinley – and Nicholls went on to claim the championship by a shade over £97,000. 

Mullins could take a lead into Sandown this year, though, and do not be surprised if the odd big gun is called up to help him over the line. Could El Fabiolo show up in a Celebration Chase? Or maybe even Gaelic Warrior? Stranger things have happened. 

British trainers' championship
Ladbrokes: 8-13 Willie Mullins, 5-2 Dan Skelton, 4 Paul Nicholls

Read more here

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