Skelton Leads as Finale to Titanic Trainers Title Tussle Nears

Features | 1^st April 2025

Dan Skelton goes into Aintree’s Grand National meeting with a commanding advantage in the Jumps Trainers’ Championship.

Despite his clear lead, it’s hard to imagine he will be counting any chickens as he chases his first trainers’ title.

With more than £3.4m in prize money up for grabs, the three-day meeting at the iconic Liverpool course will be pivotal and there are sure to be significant swings in the title race this week.

Here we look at the four main contenders.

Dan Skelton

Current Position: 1st (£2,786,341)

There is no doubt Dan is in pole position. He heads to Aintree with a lead of more than £700,000 over his nearest rivals.

His title charge has been down to the sheer number of winners. He passed 150 victories for the season with his two main British rivals still some way off the century mark.

The New Lion bagged his second Grade 1 prize of the season – and Dan’s third – when landing the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

This week his team will be headed by Grey Dawning and Protektorat but he will conspicuous by his absence in the Grand National.

With little more than three weeks to the end of the season, he just needs to keep chipping away and a first Champion Trainers’ trophy is likely to be his at Sandown on Jump Finale day.

Paul Nicholls

Current Position: 2nd (£1,996,253)

The 14-times Champion Trainer could be beaten to the title by his protégé for the first time.

Dan Skelton was assistant to Paul during his most successful period but his old boss will not be giving up the fight just yet.

He purposely saved some of his stars for Aintree after having just 13 runners at Cheltenham, where Caldwell Potter made sure he didn’t draw a Festival blank.

He looks set to run five in the Grand National, which he won for the only time with Neptune Collonges in 2012. Coral Gold Cup hero Kandoo Kid is likely to be joined by Hitman, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive and Stay Away Fay in the world’s greatest race.

Nicky Henderson

Current Position: 3rd (£1,931,535)

The Cheltenham Festival was always going to be key to Nicky’s chance of landing a seventh trainers’ title.

It was a mixed week for the veteran trainer but his big guns didn’t fire. Disappointments for Constitutional Hill and and Jonbon in championship races have left him narrowly in third place and, realistically, needing to win his first Randox Grand National to have any chance of topping the table on the final day of the season.

His hopes rest with smart novice Hyland and dual Grade 1 winner Chantry House. Triumph Hurdle runner-up Lulamba, former Champion Hurdler Constitution Hill and Arkle winner Jango Baie give Nicky a strong hand in the supporting races, so it is not impossible he will leave Aintree with a genuine chance of snatching the Champion Trainers’ crown.

Willie Mullins

Current Position: 4th (£1,433,432)

The reigning champ became the first Irish-based trainer for 70 years to land the title when lifting the trophy 12 months ago.

It came off the back off a superb Cheltenham and I Am Maximus’ Grand National triumph.

Numerically, Willie again dominated the Festival with ten winners but, surprisingly, he failed to land any of the meeting’s top three prizes.

Despite having trained just 21 winners in Britain this season, he is still in the race to be Champion Trainer. He would need a spectacular Aintree but he does look likely to have seven Grand National runners.