How Willie Mullins could block Dan Skelton's horse from running with epic trainer title battle set to explode at Sandown

WILLIE MULLINS could block Dan Skelton’s horse from running in the money-spinning bet365 Gold Cup – as their epic trainer title battle comes to a head at Sandown.

Iconic Irish trainer Mullins is currently £52,776.89 behind at the time of writing – despite having 140 fewer winners in Britain than Skelton.

Trainer Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse Racecourse. — Willie Mullins is doing everything he can in his attempt to win a second British jumps trainer titleCredit: PA

Sandown’s jumps finale card on Saturday will decide the season-long race, which has seen Mullins shoot up the board thanks to a 1-2-3 in the Grand National and 1-2 in the Scottish National.

The Closutton boss excels with his staying chasers – and everything else in fairness – and it looks like the bet365 Gold Cup could prove crucial in deciding who comes out on top.

Mullins and right-hand man David Casey have absolutely flooded the seven-race Sandown card with entries.

But it is their total domination of the £175,000 Gold Cup field that really catches the eye.

Ahead of final declarations at 10am on Thursday, Mullins has entered a staggering 15 horses.

The full field for the race he won last year with Minella Cocooner is capped at 20.

A dozen of Mullins’ horses would, as things stand, make the final field based on their ratings.

But he is all but certain to scratch a few, notably Quai De Bourbon who ran in the Irish National on Easter Monday.

While Paggane, who would be the 19th horse in as things stand, runs at Perth today.

Several, including Dancing City, have other entries with a view to Punchestown Festival next week.

But the horse who could prove crucial is Grand National third Grangeclare West.

He is currently top weight 12st and, if he runs, would see Skelton’s only hope in the race, Hoe Joly Smoke, be a whopping 12lb out of the handicap.

As things stand Skelton needs ten horses to come out for Hoe Joly Smoke to get a run.

That is after he declared Sail Away – who needed five to come out to get a run – to run at Bangor.

Bookies aren’t ruling out Hoe Joly Smoke completely, making him a best-price 12-1… should he get in.

But he still sits behind Mullins’ 7-2 market leader High Class Hero, 7-1 second-fav Dancing City and 8-1 third-fav Captain Cody.

What makes things even harder for Skelton’s only possible runner is that Mullins has a further three horses ahead of his on the reserve list.

While two of those – A Penny A Hundred and Judicieuse Allen ran just last week – you can be sure Mullins would be keen to give Scottish National runner-up Klarc Kent another go, especially seeing as he has no further entries.

It will likely all be decided when the declarations are done, with two reserve spots also being filled.

But it’s little wonder bookies make Mullins just 2-9 to win a second straight title, while Skelton is 3-1.