EVERY Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton Saturday Runner as Jumps Trainers’ Title Race Hots Up w56a

Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton will go to battle this Saturday as the jumps trainers’ championship nears the business end – and here is a look at each of their runners declared to line-up at Ayr.

Before the Aintree Grand National Festival, Dan Skelton held a £1,363,527 lead over Willie Mullins in the British trainers’ championship – but unfortunately for Skelton that gap is old news.

Despite adding £246,493 to his total at the Merseyside venue, Skelton could only watch and ire as Mullins swooped in to collect an incredible £1,487,994 over the three days.

The Irishman sent out eight winners, five Grade 1s, a Grade 2 and two Grade 3s – with five of the first seven home in the Grand National including the 1-2-3.

The difference between the two is now just £122,026 and with more than £650,000 up for grabs at Ayr on Friday and Saturday, we’re in for one hell of a scrap.

It was a similar story last year when Mullins became the first from the Emerald Isle to win the title in 70 years, pipping Skelton by £344,716.

Every Willie Mullins Runner At Ayr On Saturday 3p336a

1:10 – Scotty Brand Handicap Chase, 2m ½f (£50,000) 682h5w

Western Diego 1v3o2b

Mullins will be hoping to get off to a dream start in Scotland on Saturday with Western Diego in the Scotty Brand Handicap Chase over 2m ½f, worth £50,000 with £28,135 going to the winner.

Seventh in the Champion Bumper two years ago, Western Diego runs off a mark of 134 here and will carry 10st 11lbs. He was last seen finishing second to Springt De La Mare at Punchestown in February and a Mullins runner off almost bottom weight spells danger.

Still yet to break his maiden over fences, this looks a golden opportunity.

1:43 – MS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase, 3m (£50,000) 1849

Loughglynn 4i1y2h

Again, Mullins runs just one in this race in the form of Loughglynn with £25,720 to the winner.

Loughglynn finished second to stablemate High Class Hero last time out, one of the ante-post market leaders for the Irish Grand National. He is the second highest rated in the field off 143, carrying 11st 11lbs.

The seven-year-old has some smart hurdles form behind Albert Bartlett hero Stellar Story, finished ninth in the Champion Bumper two years ago and his January run at Navan behind Three Card Brag, Kinturk Kalanisi and Captain Cody reads well.

2:15 – Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle Handicap, 2m (£100,000) 651d6e

Ethical Diamond 5x1o5t

£56,270 to the Scottish Champion Hurdle winner here and no surprise Mullins is throwing a few darts, one of which is Ethical Diamond.

Rated 96 on the flat, Ethical Diamond has good juvenile form behind the likes of Kargese and Majborough from the Dublin Racing Festival last year. He finished out of sight in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle and took a good fourth in the County Hurdle last month.

He carries top weight of 11st 12lbs off 144 and while he probably isn’t the best handicapped horse in the field, is sure to be in the mix at the finish.

WATCH: Ethical Diamond Finishes Fourth In The County Hurdle

Bunting n3y3q

Bunting was the pick of Paul Townend in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham last month but ended his own race by running free and was subsequently pulled up before the last.

His juvenile form from 2024 puts him ahead of Ethical Diamond, finishing 4th in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown and seventh in the Triumph Hurdle a month later.

He hasn’t looked all that straightfoward so far this season but if there’s a man to get him on song, it’s Mullins.

He’s got 5lbs in hand from Ethical Diamond with a racing weight of 11st 7lbs.

Karafon 1t6i4p

JJ Slevin takes the ride on Karafon here and he could be the best handicapped of the bunch. The five-year-old looked out of his depth in Grade 1s earlier this season, tailed off behind the likes of Romeo Coolio and Kopek Des Bordes.

He was also a victim of running free in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, finishing 21st but there has to be something under the bonnet. His Clonmel run in December ahead of stablemate Karamoja who finished a solid seventh in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle is promising.

Batman Girac 3k6p6x

Batman Girac is closely tied in with Karafon from their run at Leopardstown on Boxing Day 2023. He went on to finish 13th in the Fred Winter in 2024 before struggling in open company but did finish well clear of Bunting at Punchestown.

He’s failed to land a blow this season, finishing 14th in a Christmas handicap at Leopardstown, falling at the Dublin Racing Festival and finishing last of 17 in the Imperial Cup at Sandown last month.

2:55 – UK Greentech Glasgow Seafield Trophy Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, 3m ½f (£45,000) 2f6333

Armed And Fabulous 5z623f

One runner in this race for Mullins with £23,148 to the winner. Armed And Fabulous arrived at Closutton from Margaret Mullins’ yard in 2022 following a Tipperary bumper where she finished closely behind subsequent listed scorer World Of Fortunes.

She was tailed off in three maiden hurdles in 2023 before reappearing at Newcastle in February this year, winning a Class 4 and getting off the mark. It appears she’s been difficult to train and looks to have plenty to find with her other rivals.

3:35 – Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase, 4m (£200,000) 4d4664

Chosen Witness d3p3a

£112,540 to the winner in the Scottish Grand National and Chosen Witness looks to have been laid out for this race. He was last season unseating Paul Townend at Navan in February, holding every chance in a race won by Brown Advisory third Better Days Ahead.

He won a 3m ½f handicap hurdle on this card last year, helping Mullins to land the trainers’ title. He stays well and has a touch of class as shown by his bumper run at the Punchestown Festival two years ago behind Ballyburn, Dancing City and Slade Steel.

The step up to 4m could bring out even more improvement and he could be chucked in off 137 here. The eight-year-old looks the stable first string for the owners of Kopek Des Bordes.

Macdermott 693s5

Macdermott won this race by a nose last year off 137 and runs off 5lb higher this time around. The difference is though, last year he was coming in off an impressive win in a 3m ½f handicap chase at Fairyhouse.

In his four runs this season, he’s been pulled up twice, unseated his rider and and finished 20th of 27. He stays the trip and obviously holds a strong hand if he can replicate last year’s run but looks the Mullins second string in this.

WATCH: Macdermott Wins The 2024 Scottish Grand National

Captain Cody 1co2l

Captain Cody comes to Ayr after unseating Danny Mullins in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. The Mullins team have always viewed him as a strong stayer and he gets another crack at beyond three miles.

His run behind Grand National 11th Three Card Brag at Navan in January looks decent form and the further he goes the better he may be. He is another with a touch of class having finished sixth in the Champion Bumper two years ago.

A Grade 2 scorer at 2m 4f over hurdles, he is partnered by Harry Cobden here.

Olympic Man 126x1l

Olympic Man arrives in Scotland after a win over 2m 4f at Naas last month but looks a difficult one to get right. He didn’t give his running when tailed off behind Captain Cody at Navan but an eyecatching fourth behind Dancing City at Punchestown in December was notable.

This distance will be completely new to him but he has showed promise over staying trips and could be well handicapped off 142.

Spanish Harlem j4m6z

Spanish Harlem was the pick of Paul Townend in this race last year, finishing sixth as Danny Mullins took the spoils on Macdermott. His following three runs left plenty to be desired but fourth in a Grand National Trial at Punchestown in February was a step in the right direction.

He’s running off 4lbs lower than when giving a good of himself in 2024 but looks far down the pecking order in of Mullins runners.

Klarc Kent 6l4243

Klarc Kent is the final runner for Mullins in the Scottish Grand National, carrying a featherweight 10st and was far from disgraced when finishing eighth in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last month.

He finished a very good fourth in this race last year with 10st 2lbs on his back and is 10lbs lower in the ratings this time around. At the prices, he could be a popular each-way pick on the day.

4:10 – Stagecoach We’ve Got You Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, 3m ½f (£20,000) 4l2o5i

C’Est Ta Chance 703a6o

C’Est Ta Chance will bid to defy 12st top weight in this race worth £10,562 to the winner. He has been a non runner on good ground before but didn’t look at ease whatsoever in a slog at Navan last month, finishing fourth behind three nice types.

He was sent off a 5/2 chance to beat Supreme runner-up William Munny at Punchestown in February but never got involved. He also ran on this card last year in the bumper, finishing behind Califet En Vol who ran a decent race in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

His bumper form puts him right there with William Munny from a run at Navan last year but in novice company the six-year-old has disappointed. There’s every chance going into handicaps is the right move for him, though.

Jump Allen 356v1n

Mullins runs two in this race with Jump Allen also lining up. He recently won a handicap at Naas last month but December’s run at Clonmel places him well behind C’Est Ta Chance.

He’s improved in every run since then however and if the first string fails to fire, Jump Allen could be the one to pick up the pieces. His form behind the likes of Lovely Hurling and Will The Wise reads well and could improve for this step up to 3m ½f.

4:45 – Tennent’s Lager Novices’ Hurdle, 2m4½f (£20,000) 2624k

Chart Topper 4o116x

Chart Topper is Mullins’ only runner in this race, worth £10,406 to the winner. His son Patrick takes the ride following a dream week on Merseyside where he landed the Aintree Bowl and Grand National.

The six-year-old was recently seen finishing second to Jet To Vegas in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso in March and that form looks strong after Lucinda Russell’s winner finished fourth in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree behind Salvator Mundi, Romeo Coolio and Karbau.

The fact Chart Topper is Closutton’s singular runner here could be a tip in itself and he is the highest rated in the field.

Dysart Dolomite 3z4f2s

Mullins uses the bumper for a chance to throw out Dysart Dolomite for the first time, the highly-touted half-brother to Dysart Dynamo who was sent off t-favourite with Constitution Hill in the Supreme three years ago.

The unraced runners get 5lbs from the ones with experience here and that could be deadly. Dysart Dynamo was a very talented bumper horse, winning all three by a combined 35 lengths with a peak RPR of 137.

It looks the perfect opportunity to collect the £8,986 winning prize and we all know how dangerous ‘Willie’s in the bumper’ can be.

Every Dan Skelton Runner At Ayr On Saturday 666e3d

1:10 – Scotty Brand Handicap Chase, 2m ½f (£50,000) 682h5w

Etalon t5tc

Dan Skelton saddles one to take on Western Diego in the first, with Harry Skelton jocked up on stable first string Elaton.

The eight-year-old was last season pulling up in a handicap chase at Kempton in February, which was followed by wind surgery.

He hasn’t won in over a year and running off a similar mark to Western Diego, this looks a tough ask.

1:43 – MS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase, 3m (£50,000) 1849

Theformismighty 434f3a

Theformismighty is Skelton’s only runner in the second race and it would be a surprise to see him take this.

It looks a difficult race and is the horse’s first try at three miles under rules. He was a point winner in January 2022 over this trip but didn’t fully see it out at 2m 6½f at Newbury over Christmas.

Others look more attractive propositions here.

2:15 – Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle Handicap, 2m (£100,000) 651d6e

Valgrand 2v32m

Perhaps Skelton’s chance of a big winner at Ayr is Valgrand in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. He began the season with an impressive win over two miles at Cheltenham’s October meeting but hasn’t been seen to best effect since.

He was then tried over 2m 5f when bumping into the useful Potters Charm and three subsequent attempts at two miles haven’t gone to plan, finishing 13th at Cheltenham’s December meeting, 7th at Kempton over Christmas and mostly recently last but one in the County Hurdle.

If back to his best, he’s a player here and a mark of 132 is there to be exploited no doubt. Valgrand is Skelton’s only runner in the race and should be in with a chance, receiving weight from all of his most feared rivals.

WATCH: Valgrand Wins Impressively At Cheltenham’s October Meeting

3:35 – Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase, 4m (£200,000) 4d4664

Sail Away 4u3j60

Skelton runs two outsiders in the Scottish Grand National, with his best hope expected to be Sail Away. The nine-year-old will be very easy to back on the day and he’ll tackle further than 3m 1f for the first time in his career.

Last time out he was beaten a neck by The Doyen Chief over three miles at Warwick and his form doesn’t scream the winner of this race by any stretch of the imagination.

Anything can happen in these races though and it’d be foolish to rule anyone out.

Snipe e581x

Snipe is Skelton’s second runner with 7lb claimer Harry Atkins in the saddle and he’ll be one of the longest priced runners on Saturday. He finished six lengths behind Sail Away at Warwick where he was conceding 5lbs.

He has some decent form in staying handicap chases such as two lengths behind Ultima runner-up The Changing Man at Doncaster in January and he was second to Val Dancer at Carlisle in November over 3m 2f, who finished third in February’s Grand National Trial at Haydock.

At the prices, he looks a much more attractive bet than this stablemate.

2025 Scottish Grand National Day Details 3w4vb

📅 Date: Saturday, 12th April 2025
⌚ Time: 1:10pm – 5:20pm
🏇 Racecourse: Ayr
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV