Willie Mullins 1-12 to retain trainers' title after slashing Dan Skelton's advantage by more than half on big day at Perth

Willie Mullins reduced his deficit to Dan Skelton in the British trainers' title race to £24,562 after winning the two Listed races on day one of the Perth festival.

Kiss Will was a dominant winner of the 3m novice hurdle and had stablemate You Oughta Know back in fourth, accumulating £24,912 in prize-money for the reigning champion trainer. Skelton saddled the runner-up, with Royal Infantry picking up £8,548.

Paul Townend completed a double in the 3m mares' chase aboard Fun Fun Fun, who led home stablemate Paggane in a 1-2 for Mullins. They added a further £25,453 to Mullins' tally as Skelton's £52,777 overall advantage at the start of play was more than halved.

Kiss Will: won the 3m novice hurdle at Perth for Willie Mullins and Paul TownendCredit: John Grossick Racing

Coral shortened Mullins to 1-12 favourite (from 2-11) for the title on the back of the double, with Skelton eased to 6-1 (from 7-2).

The firm's David Stevens said: “This season’s title race will definitely be going all the way to Sandown’s season finale on Saturday, but the momentum is very much with Willie Mullins right now, and his Perth double has seen the reigning champ shorten to 1-12 to join Vincent O’Brien as a two-time British champion trainer."

Skelton struck later on the card with the Harry Skelton-ridden Etalon in the 2m handicap chase, earning £8,713 in prize-money.

The winning rider said on Racing TV: "He's not had the greatest winter but he's brought it altogether when needed. We need every penny we can get."

The Alcester trainer completed an across-the-card double when Jeffrey's Cross landed the hunter chase at Ludlow under Sean O'Connor. The race had a first prize of £3,388.

Mullins' sole runner at Ludlow was unsuccessful, with the Brian Hayes-ridden More Coko falling at the last when beaten in the 2m novice hurdle.

Declarations for the jumps season finale at Sandown on Saturday will close at 10am on Thursday and all eyes will be on the runners from Closutton. Mullins has 15 of the remaining 34 entries in the £175,000 bet365 Gold Cup and has Grade 1 winners Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth entered on the undercard.

Latest standings

Skelton £3,307,616
Mullins £3,283,054

Difference £24,562

How the day unfolded

Standings at start of the day

Skelton £3,285,030
Mullins £3,232,253

2.18 Perth

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £912 (Next Left, fourth)

Total
Skelton £3,285,942

2.38 Ludlow

Prize-money accumulated
Mullins – £0 (More Coko, fell)

2.48 Perth

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £8,548 (Royal Infantry, second)
Mullins – £24,912 (Kiss Will, WON, You Oughta Know, fourth, Ballygunner Castle, unplaced)

Total
Skelton £3,294,490
Mullins £3,257,165

3.18 Perth

Prize-money accumulated
Mullins – £25,889 (Fun Fun Fun WON, Paggane, second)

Total
Mullins £3,283,054

3.48 Perth

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £8,713 (Etalon, WON)

Total
Skelton £3,303,203

4.10 Ludlow 

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £0 (Manala, unplaced)

4.40 Ludlow

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £3,388 (Jeffrey's Cross, WON)

Total
Skelton £3,306,591

5.15 Ludlow

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £752 (Madajovy, third)

Total
Skelton £3,307,343

7.00 Taunton

Prize-money accumulated
Skelton – £273 (Jo's Rainbow, fifth)

Total
Skelton £3,307,616

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