With Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton competing head-to-head at the Bet365 Jump Finale meeting at Sandown Park Racecourse to determine the winner of the British trainer title, the official finish of the 2024–25 jump racing season was set up wonderfully. Skelton held a lead of about £68,500 prior to the start of Saturday’s card. But the Bet365 Gold Cup, the day’s premier event, with a prize of almost £100,000 for the victor. With Skelton entering nine, Mullins was up to the task of putting 21 horses across the water in an attempt to retain the crown he had won a year earlier. But Gary and Josh Moore still had time to score a double before the main meal with the opening two races on the card.
Give it to me. Oj defied a 12-stone top weight to take the first spot on the card. Before collecting the spoils at Huntingdon to hold on in the 2m Class Two Handicap Hurdle, the four-year-old had previously placed fourth in a Grade One at Aintree under Caoilin Quinn. Off a mark of 144, the seasoned eight-year-old had to set a career-best time to win the 2m 4f novices handicap hurdle. Mahons Glory, who was aiming for a third straight victory, started a fast pace and was six lengths ahead at one stage. At the start of the straight, Mark of Gold pulled ahead by three-quarters of a length, erasing the leader’s lead. Following the fight between the two top trainers, Mullins took the first casualty impressive Gaelic Warrior backed up his Grade One Aintree victory with a comfortable five-length victory to lead home a Mullins one-two.
Skelton was only a few thousand pounds behind the Irish trainer, who also owned the fourth and sixth horses in the race. Jonbon, the racehorse of the year earlier in the day, returned for the Class One Bet365 Celebration Chase. With the Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps his anticipated rival in the event, the nine-year-old Nicky Henderson was the favorite to win yet another race. Even though he had been out for an incredible 359 days, the seven-year-old was doing nicely under Danny Mullins going down the straight. The grey stormed past Henderson’s favorite on the tail of Jonbon, scoring a stunning five-and-a-half-length victory to offer Mullins another sizable pot in the race to become the winner trainer.
Mullins had one hand on the trophy by the time the Bet365 Gold Cup, the afternoon’s premier event, was conducted. With the Irish master saddling at least ten of the twenty runners in the main event, Holy Joly Smoke, Skelton just had one racer. With a winning advantage of about £200,000, Mullins secured another British champion trainer’s distinction despite failing to produce the winner. He finished with the second, third, fourth, and fifth places. Mullins managed to secure the final spot on the card with Jump Allen, giving the newly crowned British trainer the opportunity to win a treble. Paradoxically, Jump Allen completed ahead of the Dan Skelton trained Mostly Sunny to send the Irish trainer home with a deserved heavy night’s celebrating ahead of him and his family.
