British trainer Dan Skelton has declared his intention to leave rival Willie Mullins with 'not a sniff' of the championship as he battles for his first British jumps trainers' title. Skelton has built a commanding financial lead in the 2025-26 season, determined to avoid a repeat of the last two campaigns where the crown was snatched from him by the Irish maestro on the final day.
A Commanding Financial Lead
As the new year unfolds, Skelton finds himself in an enviable position. His stable has amassed £2.4 million in prize money from 108 winners, putting him over £1 million clear of his nearest British-based rival and a staggering nearly £2 million ahead of Willie Mullins. The Irish champion has so far collected earnings from just four winners on British soil this season.
However, Skelton is acutely aware that the statistics can be deceptive. Mullins's dominance is historically unleashed during the spring festivals, where he has repeatedly turned the title race on its head. 'We are ahead of where we were last year and everything is going along well,' Skelton, a Ladbrokes ambassador, stated. 'But even though we have a decent lead, you can never get comfortable.'
The Spring Festival Threat
The crux of the title battle is set to be the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National at Aintree – events where Willie Mullins has been virtually peerless. Mullins is the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history and has won the Grand National for the past two years running. Skelton pinpointed last season's National as his undoing, where Mullins saddled the first, second, third, and fifth-placed horses.
'If he has his usual unbelievable Cheltenham, and wins the Grand National again, then he has a sniff,' Skelton explained. 'And when Willie Mullins gets a sniff that is the worst thing. After that he can go all out in the last two weeks of the season. The trick is not to give him a sniff at all!'
A Collective Effort for a Singular Goal
Beyond the rivalry, Skelton emphasised that winning the trainers' championship would be a monumental team achievement. He drew parallels to a football team winning the Premier League, where the trophy bears one name but belongs to the entire squad. His brother, champion jockey Harry Skelton, echoed this sentiment, stating that a trainer's title 'would be the biggest collective achievement' for their operation.
For now, Skelton's focus is on navigating the difficult winter weather and keeping his team in prime condition for the pivotal spring contests. The question remains: can his substantial financial cushion withstand the inevitable onslaught from the most powerful stable in National Hunt racing? The racing world watches with bated breath as this compelling duel enters its most critical phase.
