Grand National: Willie Mullins win would put him in sight of trainers' title

Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls top the standings but the Irish trainer can gatecrash the party

Willie Mullins has fired an ominous warning to Britain's top trainers, as the Irishman targets the Grand National victory that would see him gatecrash the title picture.

Mullins has eight runners in Saturday’s Aintree showpiece, including three of the top six in the betting in I Am Maximus, Meetingofthewaters and Mr Incredible.

Coming into the meeting, the British champion trainers' title looked a neck-and-neck race between Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls, both of whom have trained more than 100 winners this term.

However, the standings are dictated by prize money, and such has been Mullins's success in the most lucrative races, including at Cheltenham last month, that he sits third, despite having saddled only 14 winners on this side of the Irish Sea.

The Irish trainer enjoyed two Grade One winners on the opening day of the meeting
Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

For now, the 67-year-old remains more than £500,000 adrift of the leading pair, but with the National prize pot at £1million, Saturday will go a long way to deciding where the title ends up — and Mullins insists every one of his team comes in with genuine hopes.

"I have a lot of good horses in the National," said Mullins, who enjoyed two Grade One winners on the opening day of the meeting and had several more chances this afternoon.

"I Am Maximus does look the best on form, but with the ground the way it is, the form the horses are in at home, I think they all have each-way chances. I'm very happy with the whole team."

Skelton has just one runner in the National, in the shape of Galia Des Liteaux, who is looking to become the first mare to win the race since 1951, while Nicholls does not have a single contender.

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