Dan Skelton plots all-out assault on first trainers' title - but admits he'd feel guilty if he succeeds

Dan Skelton has said he would feel a "touch of guilt" if he succeeds in landing his first trainers' championship at the expense of Paul Nicholls – but is still planning an all-out assault on the title that could well see him far busier than normal during April.

Skelton was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday's newspaper in which he discusses the enormous stress of the six-year integrity case that ended with him being him fined £6,000 just before the Cheltenham Festival and the following week at Prestbury Park when he sent out four winners to move into pole position in the battle for the trainers’ title ahead of 14-time champion Nicholls, under whom he learned his trade as assistant trainer.

"I've always wanted to have a go at the title," he said. "Becoming champion trainer is my personal professional target. My job is to work for my owners and win them big races but, from a personal perspective, I want to be champion trainer.

"It's going to be a battle. I know Paul and he knows me. Neither of us will give an inch. In a weird way I would love one of us to come out of Aintree so far ahead that the title race is sorted – but only so long as that's me. For so long as I'm in with a sniff, I'll keep going."

Skelton also knows how much the title means to Nicholls, so much so he admitted he would feel bad at taking his great friend’s crown.

Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton worked together during the era of Kauto Star and Denman but are now in competition for the trainers' championshipCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He taught me so much, and I'm sure I'll feel an element of imposter syndrome if I win, but Paul is a sportsman and I know he would tell me not to feel guilty,” he said. “I would feel a touch of guilt but, at the same time, all I'm trying to do is win it. It's something I've always dreamed of doing, so to have a chance feels quite remarkable."

The Grand National meeting at Aintree is likely to be pivotal in the race, but Skelton has also had conversations with his owners about what lies beyond if the battle remains tight over the final weeks.

"I've had honest conversations with the owners and they've all said I should do what I think is best. I'm sure if the title goes down to the last day of the season, both Paul and I will be running a lot more horses than we normally would. That said, the horses' welfare is always the priority and not one of the horses I've roughed off has come back into training."

Read more from Dan Skelton in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

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