Spotlight On Saturday: Mullins is the man again at Sandown

Willie Mullins completed a successful defence of the British trainers' championship after getting the better of a final day showdown with Dan Skelton at Sandown. 

Mullins, who became the first Irish-based handler since Vincent O'Brien in the 1950s to lift the UK jumps trophy a year ago, put together a late charge, heavily influenced by a 1-2-3 in the Grand National at Aintree earlier this month.

At Sandown, he landed a trio of wins on the final day with Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Jump Allen all obliging. He was denied in the bet365 Gold Cup as Resplendent Grey got up late under newly-crowned champion jockey Sean Bowen, but even then, Mullins saddled the next four home to top up his prize money.

Skelton was still £1.3m clear of Mullins at the end of the Cheltenham Festival last month but the reigning champion turned the title race on its head at Aintree and he was elated to win again.

"It was tough work the last few weeks and I feel sorry for Dan who was leading the whole way. We had a fantastic last few months and, when it became a possibility, we went for it," said Mullins.

"It's tough when you're beaten in what we can nearly call a photo-finish but we're very happy to win."

Big Race Analysis

Jonbon had been the best two-miler around this season, winning every one of five starts bar finishing second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase when a major mid-race blunder robbed him of his chance.

He was unbeaten around Sandown and odds-on for the Celebration Chase with Mark Walsh deputising for the injured Nico de Boinville on Nicky Henderson's star.

He jumped a bit to his left at times but led the field around in good style but the writing was soon on the wall when Danny Mullins ranged alongside on It Etait Temps coming to the second last fence.

Absent for a year, Il Etait Temps cruised clear to win by more than five-lengths and could be a star of this division next season.

What’s Next?

The jumps season in Britain is over but there is still one major event to come, with the Punchestown Festival in Ireland up and running on Tuesday for five brilliant days littered with Grade 1 prizes and more than €3m in prize money. No doubt, the Mullins machine will continue to churn out winners on his home patch.

The Flat is also going up a notch, with Royal Ascot Trials Day at Ascot on Wednesday before the first Classics of the season at Newmarket on Saturday and Sunday via the Guineas meeting.