'I know exactly what he’s going through' - the inside track on the title contenders by those who know them best

Dan Skelton's former boss Paul Nicholls taught him how to become a title contender and gives his view on his protege . . .

Dan is the complete professional. He knows he’s up against it, but will do the very best he can.

I’m sure he'll have been up all night many times during the week trying to find the right horses for the races at Sandown.

I’ve always called him a ‘mini me’. I know exactly what he’s going through. I went through it all during that season when I finally beat Martin Pipe to win my first trainers’ championship.

Dan will have delegated much of the work around the yard. That’s something I instilled in all those who worked for me. You can't do it all yourself. He's very lucky to have his brother close at hand.

Will Dan be nervous on Saturday morning? Of course he will. I know I always was. He’s bound to be.

If he manages to win the title he's fully entitled to celebrate like mad. He’ll be a very proud man, but Dan always shows a certain amount of restraint to a point.

I was talking to him for some time on Thursday. Tongue in cheek I asked him if he wanted to borrow a few of my good horses such as Pic D’Orhy for Saturday! We had a good chat.

I reminded him that it took me seven years to finally beat Martin Pipe. I was second to him seven years on the trot.

If Dan doesn’t win it this year there'll always be next year and the year after that, although Willie Mullins will still be around and I hope to be back up there with a nice team of new horses.

You can’t look back in this game. You must always look forward, and that’s what Dan will be doing. He’ll be even more determined for next season.

Patrick Mullins on his father Willie: ''He doesn't do nerves. Not that I can see anyway"Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Patrick Mullins knows his father better than anyone and gives an insight into how the miracle worker works . . .

Willie doesn't think too far ahead, so he'll be taking it race by race. But, mark my words, he's taking it very seriously.

We've been here before, at Sandown on the final day, when we needed results to go our way but it didn't happen. That was against Paul Nicholls in 2015.

Last year was a bit different because we came into the final day with a big lead. This year we're coming in behind, so it's a different sort of feel.

Every race is going to be crucial. We're going to need a result in every race and I don't think we can afford to suffer too many setbacks in the position we're in.

Will Willie be nervous? No, Willie doesn't do nerves. Not that I can see anyway. He'll be relaxed and will take whatever comes his way.

The one thing we all know about Willie is that he's just as good a loser as he is a winner. I can guarantee you one thing: Willie will be having a drink with Dan win, lose or draw when the action ends at Sandown. We all get on very well with the Skeltons.

It's going to be a great occasion. Willie won't be looking any further ahead than the next race he has runners in. As I said, we need things to fall our way.

It should be some day.

Read more on the trainers' title race:

Tale of the season: Willie Mullins looks set to get up on the line after coming with another perfectly timed run

Trainers' championship showdown: a race-by-race guide to Sandown's epic title conclusion between Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins 

'We'll have to have a go. We'll see you at Ayr, Perth, and as many meetings here between now and Sandown' - the trainers' title in quotes 

This is not the first time the trainers' title battle has gone down to the wire - and this one is better-tempered than some 

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