
Dan Skelton extends lead over Willie Mullins ahead of finale
The Alcester handler began the day £24,562 clear of the reigning champion, who saddled just one runner at Perth compared to Skelton's 13 across three fixtures on the day.
Mullins was first in to bat, but his Magic McColgan was beaten into third place as the 8-11 favourite for the opening race in Scotland and picked up just £1,003, meaning Skelton was still £23,559 in front before kicking into action.
His first runner Halondo failed to figure at Warwick, but Gwennie May Jem and Doyen Quest earned over £13,000 between them with victories at the trainer's local track, before Heltenham picked up £13,008 with a bold front-running success in Perth's Phil Nelson River Tay Handicap Chase.
Snipe, Hidden History, God's Own Getaway, Ice In The Veins and Rock House all earned prize-money in defeat to add to the Skelton coffers before sending out four runners at Bangor's evening fixture.
With Mullins not represented in Britain on Friday, Skelton has the opportunity to go further ahead with two declared runners at Perth and two at Chepstow.
But with 21 horses scheduled to be in action compared to Skelton's nine on the final day of the season at Sandown Saturday, Mullins is a 1-7 favourite with bookmakers to overturn the deficit and successfully defend his trainers' championship, with Skelton a 4-1 shot to lift the title for the first time.
Speaking at Warwick, Skelton told Racing TV: "We've tried our best to extend the lead as best we can and he (Mullins) has always just kept us in check by running a few horses in the bigger races.
"I think there's an air of inevitability about it unfortunately on Saturday, but I've enjoyed the last three weeks immensely and if we get beat we get beat.
"I've learnt a lot about myself, my staff and my owners – they've been absolutely phenomenal.
"I knew what was coming (from Mullins on Saturday), I'm not surprised what's there and he's going to be hard to resist. I'll go down there with a smile on my face and we won't give up."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The 42
7 hours ago
- The 42
LIVE: Australia v British & Irish Lions, second Test
Just under 10 minutes to go until kick-off at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground. This is less the Lions' Everest, more a climb up the Sugar Loaf or something to that effect. But the Wallabies will surely give it socks here for as long as they can. Skelton and Valetini's returns, and a bit of do-or-die national pride, mean they can't be ruled out today. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO


Irish Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Brighton exit confirmed for one Ireland international, but not who you think
Wycombe Wanderers have snapped up Ireland Under-21 midfielder Jamie Mullins on a permanent transfer from Brighton. Mullins, who played for the Seagulls last weekend in a 6-1 friendly win against his new club, has been at Brighton since his January 2023 move from Bohemians. The 20-year-old made 46 Premier League 2 appearances and could feature in Tuesday evening's friendly for Wycombe against Sutton United. Mullins followed the same path as Evan Ferguson by moving from League of Ireland side Bohs, where he made over 30 first-team appearances, to Brighton. Wycombe head coach Mike Dodds said: 'Jamie's got a really bright future ahead of him in the game and we're excited to bring him to Wycombe to develop his career and add another option for us in midfield. 'He was playing senior football as a teenager over in Ireland and has kicked on again in Brighton's academy, so he's well placed to come here and challenge for first-team football.' Brighton's technical director David Weir paid tribute to the midfielder, saying: 'Jamie has been an excellent professional during his time in our academy, which reflects in the fact he was captain of the under-21s last season. 'We wish him the best of luck for the future.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .


Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Skelton happy with underdog status as Australia sole focus is on Test opener
Will Skelton may not think much of Henry Pollock's bravado in expecting a 3-0 series victory for the British & Irish Lions on Australian soil over the next three weeks but the La Rochelle and Wallabies lock is relishing the underdog tag. Skelton's Australia will welcome the Lions to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday as longshots on home turf following a less than stellar warm-up Test victory over Fiji a fortnight ago. Yet that suits the Aussie mindset and speaking at the start of Test week in Brisbane on Monday, Skelton said of the underdog status: 'I love it. We love it, yeah. 'We are worried solely about ourselves. The Lions have played some great footie and we want to showcase what we can do on Saturday. 'A series win? Mate, we're worried about this game. This game is at Suncorp. We've put everything into our preparation to make sure that we're at our best on Saturday and that's what I'm excited about.' Skelton faced the media alongside Australia's great rugby hope Joseph Suaalii, a convert to the 15-man union code from the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. Outside centre Suaalii is no stranger to big games, having represented New South Wales in the annual State of Origin series against Queensland, and his first outings in union since his schoolboy days came as a Wallaby on tour in the Northern Hemisphere last November. Yet the 21-year-old was surprised at the media reception he got as he walked into Monday's press conference at his team hotel in Brisbane, making a point of counting the microphones and recorders on the table in front of him as he began to field questions. Suaalii may be young but he marches to his own beat, even warming up before matches in bare feet to connect to the earth beneath him, and Skelton has every confidence in the Waratahs midfielder. 'He does all right doesn't he? You would have heard people speak about it but the way he prepares for matches, I am still learning as one of the oldest in the squad how to prepare for a game and you take little bits from each -player and I have definitely taken stuff from Joe. 'He is himself, he is not being anyone else, even when he wearing his Louis Vuitton and singing his album, he is being him. That's all as a player you want to be and a coach like Joe (Schmidt), he wants us to express ourselves and be ourselves. He is a great asset to have in the team.' Suaalii declined to get involved in rekindling the running on-field spat he got into with Lions centre Sione Tuipulotu when Australia played Scotland at Murrayfield last November, dismissing the verbals as 'Just footie'. 'You know once you do things on the footie field, you keep them on the footie field. I am ready to go and ready to play. I don't have too much to say about that. 'It is all about us. I always focus on myself first before I put energy into something else. Obviously fans want to see a rivalry but at the end of the day it is a team sport. I am just trying to do the best for the team. 'There has been a lot of talk around that moment. At the end of the day, it is a game of footie. Whatever is said on the field, stays on the field. Who knows what team they are going to pick but whoever they pick we are ready to go.' Skelton, on the other hand, welcomed some tension between the teams. 'Ah, that's what you want isn't it? Our 12s going against their 12s, 13s against 13s. No matter what it's going to be a physical battle and we're up for the challenge.'