Three-time Gr 1 winner Il Etait Temps might make his long overdue seasonal reappearance at Sandown on Saturday and if he does he could help Willie Mullins clinch a second successive British jumps racing Champion Trainer title after what is currently an enthralling duel with Dan Skelton. (Picture: Sky Sports Racing).
Last season Willie Mullins became the first Irish trainer since Vincent O’Brien in 1954 to become British jumps racing Champion Trainer and there is a chance a horse running in the Hollywood Racing colours could clinch it for him in the thrilling duel for the title this season, which ends on Saturday.
Mullins has won the equivalent Irish title 17 times.
He had the fraction of winners that second-placed Dan Skelton had last season, but the title is decided on prize money and as Mullins is the most successful Cheltenham Festival trainer in history he is now putting himself into contention for the British title every year.
This year’s title is particularly thrilling and will go down to the wire.
This morning (Wednesday) before racing started Dan Skelton was on £3,285,030 gleaned from 173 wins and Mullins was on prize money of £3,232,253 gleaned from 33 wins, a difference of £52,777.
However, Mullins had a big team racing around the UK today (Wednesday) and he added two victories at Perth to his tally, earning £22,780 and £18,726.50 respectively.
Skelton fought back by winning the fifth race at Perth, but it was only for earnings of £8,713.65.
However, Mullins has four horses entered in the Gr 1 Celebration Chase over one mile 7 furlongs and 99 yards at Sandown on Saturday where the winner gets £99,662. Among the entries is the three-time Gr 1-winning Il Etait Temps, who runs in the Hollywood Racing colours and they own him in partnership with the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud. Il Etait Temps has had issues this season and if he does run it will be his reappearance.
Skelton has six horses entered in this race, but Mullins has a stronger hand with ten-times Gr 1-winning chaser Jonbon entered as well as three-time Gr 1-winning chaser Gaelic Warrior and twice Gr 1-winning chaser Impaire Et Passe, whilst Skelton’s leading hope is probably Gr 2 winner Boombawn.
Mullins also has seven horses entered in a Gr 2 chase at the Sandown meeting where the winner gets £45,560 and he has no fewer than 15 horses entered in an expensive handicap chase where the winner gets £98,472.
He has four entered in a Gr 2 Hurdle, including the seven-time Gr 1-winning Lossiemouth, where the winner gets £45,560.
He has entries in two class 2 races at the meeting worth £20,812 and £18,210 to the winner respectively.
Skelton has multiple entries in all of those races too, but likely does not have as strong a hand.
However, he does have runners around the country on Thursday and Friday this week and will be hoping to arrive at the Sandown meeeting on Saturday with a substantially bigger lead than he has now.
