'Willie the Wizard' comes to British trainers' title party - and Il Etait Temps owner is backing him for championship hat-trick

Dan Skelton warned at the start of the week that you "write Willie Mullins off at your peril" and, while it might have taken him until the first Saturday in December, the reigning champion finally launched his bid for a third straight trainers' title in Britain in emphatic style at Sandown. 

Pre-season patter suggested Mullins was going to be far more active through the early throes of this term in Britain, but starting the day with no winners from only nine runners on this side of the Irish Sea hardly suggested a change in policy.

In contrast, Skelton's aim has been deadly with his darts in the big races and the championship leader started Tingle Creek day at Sandown £1.7 million in prize-money in front of his nemesis.