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Dan Skelton 'will give title race my best' in face of all-out Willie Mullins assault coming on Scottish Grand National day
Mullins has 11 horses in contention for the Scottish National and 40 entries across Ayr's Saturday card
Willie Mullins is preparing another all-out assault on the British trainers' title with 40 entries at Ayr on Saturday, but narrow championship leader Dan Skelton has pledged to "give it his best" during what promises to be a thrilling final three weeks of the season.
Mullins, who accounts for a third of entries for the £200,000 Coral Scottish Grand National (3.35), produced a remarkable turnaround in his quest to win back-to-back titles when becoming the first trainer to saddle the first three home in the Grand National. He was responsible for five of the first seven home, adding to five Grade 1 victories at Aintree.
Last year he won the Scottish National before claiming the title on the final day at Sandown and is £122,027 behind Skelton having been £1.36 million behind before the Grand National meeting. Such was the lead last year's runner-up Skelton had engineered, Coral closed their betting after Cheltenham.
Skelton, who added £246,493 in prize-money at Aintree compared to a staggering £1.49m for Mullins, has reached the £3m mark for the first time during a career-best campaign. He has not given up hope of claiming his first championship but said he will remain selective with his runners, while recognising the bar being set by Mullins.
"We've had a great season," said Skelton. "We were in a great position going into the Grand National and thought even if Willie won it we were still in a pretty good spot. But he sent out the first, second and third, so there's not a lot you can do apart from take your hat off to him and just say 'wow'.
"We'll give it our best until the end of the season but I'm not going to run horses who shouldn't be running – we'll be sensible. Willie makes us all work harder, aim higher and that's what we'll continue to do. Hopefully our efforts are good enough this year but if they're not we'll try to increase them again next time, as the bar keeps getting higher."
On Monday, Mullins confirmed 11 horses for the Scottish National, including last year's winner Macdermott and the well-backed 9-2 favourite Chosen Witness, whose odds were slashed from as big as 16-1 at the start of the day. Meanwhile, Skelton, who has 16 Ayr entries on Saturday and eight on Friday, has confirmed three runners for the marathon in Sail Away, Theformismighty and Snipe.
David Casey, assistant trainer to Mullins, said the yard's plans for the Ayr showpiece remained undecided.
"Plans are still a bit up in the air with regard to who will travel over to Ayr," Casey said. "Everything that is entered in the Scottish National has other options, as well, but I would imagine Macdermott and Spanish Harlem will go over for it.
‘’Chosen Witness will probably go over for it, too, as it doesn’t look like he will get into the Irish National at the moment. O’Moore Park is another who might travel over.
‘’There are a few others who could join them but it’s still up in the air. They all have a little bit more work to do this week and, as I said, they all have other options as well so we will see where they best fit in.’’
Mullins also has a strong team for the £100,000 Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.15) with seven confirmations, including County Hurdle winner Kargese, a best-priced 3-1 favourite. She is joined by County Hurdle third Absurde, who also has an entry on the Flat in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury. Skelton's sole representative is Valgrand, who finished down the field in the County and is an 8-1 shot with the sponsors to bounce back on Saturday.
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Speaking after winning the Grand National, Mullins laid down the gauntlet and said he would "have to have a go" at winning a second British championship. Given the scale of his entries on Saturday, Coral have cut him from 1-4 to win the title.
Spokesman David Stevens said: “We knew Willie Mullins intended to send a strong team to Ayr this Saturday, but the numerical strength of his raiding party has seen his title odds slashed to 1-4, from 4-7, while he is also responsible for the first three in the betting for both the Coral Scottish Grand National and the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle.
“Dan Skelton won’t be waving the white flag though, and he has plenty of his own runners over the two-day meeting, although he is now out to 5-2 to win a first championship."
The final day of the British jumps season takes place at Sandown on April 26, when there will be £685,000 in prize-money on offer. Last year, Mullins became the first trainer based in Ireland since Vincent O'Brien to secure the British title after landing the bet365 Gold Cup and claiming second in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase with El Fabiolo.
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Scottish Grand National latest odds
Scottish Grand National (3.35 Ayr Saturday)
Coral: 9-2 Chosen Witness, 10 O'Moore Park, Whistle Stop Tour, 12 Captain Cody, High Class Hero, Macdermott, 14 Apple Away, Olympic Man, 16 Loughglynn, Hasthing, Henry’s Friend, Rock My Way, Surrey Quest, The Kniphand, Walking On Air, 20 bar
Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.15 Ayr Saturday)
Coral: 11-4 Kargese, 5 Absurde, 11-2 Ethical Diamond, 6 Kabral Du Mathan, 8 Joyeuse, Valgrand, 14 Bunting, 16 Dysart Enos, Kihavah, 20 Karafon, Lot Of Joy, Under Control, 25 Batman Girac, 33 bar.
Trainers’ championship
Coral: 1-4 Willie Mullins, 5-2 Dan Skelton.
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Scottish Grand National confirmations
Mr Incredible Sandy Thomson
High Class Hero Willie Mullins
Henry’s Friend Ben Pauling
Loughglynn Willie Mullins
Our Power Sam Thomas
Olympic Man Willie Mullins
Macdermott Willie Mullins
Famous Bridge Nicky Richards
Captain Cody Willie Mullins
O’Moore Park Willie Mullins
Surrey Quest Toby Lawes
Apple Away Lucinda Russell
Chosen Witness Willie Mullins
Spanish Harlem Willie Mullins
Whistle Stop Tour Lucinda Russell
A Penny A Hundred Willie Mullins
Hasthing Jonjo & AJ O’Neill
Rock My Way Joe Tizzard
Judicieuse Allen Willie Mullins
Guard Your Dreams Nigel Twiston-Davies
Sail Away Dan Skelton
Wiseguy Nicky Henderson
Flash De Touzaine Liz Doyle
Walking On Air Faye Bramley
Theformismighty Dan Skelton
The Kniphand Nigel Twiston-Davies
Your Own Story Lucinda Russell
Grozni James Owen
Dom Of Mary David Bridgwater
Snipe Dan Skelton
Klarc Kent Willie Mullins
Magna Sam Alastair Ralph
Brandt Cian Collins
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Scottish Champion Hurdle confirmations
Kargese Willie Mullins
Absurde Willie Mullins
Ethical Diamond Willie Mullins
Joyeuse Nicky Henderson
Kihavah Adrian Keatley
Bunting Willie Mullins
Kabral Du Mathan Paul Nicholls
Lot Of Joy Willie Mullins
Cracking Rhapsody Ewan Whillans
Dysart Enos Fergal O’Brien
Under Control Nicky Henderson
Casa No Mento Nigel Twiston-Davies
Batman Girac Willie Mullins
Samui Gordon Elliott
Karafon Willie Mullins
Ooh Betty Ben Clarke
Valgrand Dan Skelton
Welsh Charger Alastair Ralph
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