Get set for the latest twists in the Willie Mullins-Dan Skelton title battle at Cheltenham's valuable April meeting

While the delights of Fairyhouse, Punchestown and Sandown’s crowning British finale are still to come, the sand is slipping rapidly through the hourglass in terms of the 2024-25 jumps season, meaning that for devotees there is always much to savour over the course of Cheltenham’s two-day April meeting.

For the second straight year it also provides a significant potential source of funds for the protagonists in the race to be crowned champion trainer in Britain. 

After performing miracles at Aintree and Ayr, Willie Mullins has essentially completed the task of erasing Dan Skelton's £1.3 million advantage coming out of last month's Cheltenham Festival. 

While nothing can be decided back in the Cotswolds, were Mullins to take a decent chunk out of the £495,000 on offer on Wednesday and Thursday, he could deal a near-mortal blow to his rival with Skelton's lead after racing on Tuesday just £10,030.

Skelton escaped from Scotland with his lead just about intact, but title odds of 7-2 in a two-horse race speak loudly of the expectation that his challenge will ultimately founder on the greater numbers at Mullins’ disposal at the end of a campaign when he has already saddled in excess of 900 runners in Britain and Ireland combined. 

All Skelton can do is channel his inner Arya Stark and whisper to himself “not today, Willie”, and for once he outnumbers the Closutton juggernaut on the first day of the Cheltenham fixture to the tune of six runners to four. 

Nor would victory for at least two of them count as a huge surprise.

Riskinthground added £25,000 to the Skelton cause at Ayr on FridayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Having added a precious £25,000 to the Skelton cause at Ayr last Friday, Riskintheground makes a quick return under a penalty in the Grade 2 Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase (2.40), the second of two races from Cheltenham to feature in ITV4’s coverage. 

Mullins will also have high hopes of earning a decent share of the £70,000 prize fund for the 2m4½f contest thanks to the presence of likely market leaders O’Moore Park and Classic Getaway. 

Mr Hope Street heads the betting for the 3m handicap hurdle (3.50), and he should be one of Skelton’s fresher runners having not been seen since December when second to Jipcot at Newbury. 

Mullins runs two unopposed by his title rival in the opening 2m4½f novice hurdle (1.30), with Downpatrick winner Toad Hall the mount of Sean O’Keeffe, and Danny Mullins aboard Limerick scorer Dr Eggman.

Novice hurdlers aged eight and seven respectively, it would appear both have required plenty of Mullins' patience, although we are speaking about a trainer who, more often than not, times his challenge just right. 

With just a week and a half of the British campaign remaining, victory for either would send Mullins to the top of the table for the first time since the final day of the season at Sandown 12 months ago.

Read more of Wednesday's previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Wathnan runner drops from Group 1 to 6f handicap - analysis and key trainer quotes for £50,000 contest  

2.40 Cheltenham: Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins run two each in £70,000 Silver Trophy Handicap Chase  

3.00 Newmarket: 'Dropping back to six furlongs really suited her' - red-hot Abernant favourite bids to follow up impressive Listed success  

3.35 Newmarket: Promising colts have questions to answer if they want to join Dancing Brave, Haafhd and Masar on the Craven roll of honour  

Chris Cook: Strong cast of Craven contenders suggests the winner of this Guineas trial will have really achieved something  

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