WILLIE Mullins and Dan Skelton’s battle for the British trainers’ title ignited the closing stages of the 2024/’25 National Hunt season, and it looks like we’re all set for another absorbing chapter between the pair this afternoon at Sandown.

The leading duo are first and second in the betting for the Grade 1 Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (3.00), and there is a total prize fund of £175,000 up for grabs. Given the difference in earnings that decided the title last season came to just £193,867, every penny counts in what has developed into an entertaining rivalry between two outstanding trainers.

Skelton has already been making his presence felt in a string of big Saturday features this season - most recently the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury last weekend with the admirable Panic Attack - and he will look to carry that momentum through to L’Eau Du Sud in his face-off with Mullins’ Il Etait Temps.

The Closutton maestro has made this race a standout early-season target for his odds-on favourite, who ensured any cobwebs were blown away when taking advantage of a good opportunity in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase last month. Fitness and sharpness won’t be an issue for L’Eau Du Sud either, having dotted up by 15 lengths in the Grade 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last month.

Mullins hasn’t always been a frequent challenger in the Tingle Creek. He has won it just the once, with Un De Sceaux in 2016, and since then has had only four attempts at the two-mile test: Un De Sceaux (second to both Altior in 2018 and Defi Du Seuil in 2019), Chacun Pour Soi (failed to fire when trailing the field as 8/13 favourite in 2021) and Gentleman De Mee (well-held fourth in 2022).

Dan Skelton is seeking his first victory in the race, though L’Eau Du Sud will only be the second horse to represent him in a Tingle Creek after Nube Negra had two unsuccessful attempts at the historic chase.

Hat-trick attempt

Lurking in the background is none other than Jonbon, who was no match for L’Eau Du Sud in the Shloer and needs to bounce back in a big way. However, he is seeking a Tingle Creek hat-trick, out to become the only horse to win three consecutive renewals other than Flagship Uberalles. Interestingly, Nicky Henderson is reaching for cheekpieces for the first time with J.P. McManus’ prolific nine-year-old.

“We’re very excited to have a real chance with L’Eau Du Sud, he was very good at Cheltenham,” noted Skelton.

“We didn’t know what to expect that day taking on Jonbon. We were very taken by what he did and he has been fresh and well since. We had him fit for Cheltenham, so we haven’t had to work hard to bring him forward.”

Speaking in his Ladbrokes blog, he added: “The trip is fine, he won on the card last year, and, although it’ll be hard taking on Jonbon with a run under his belt, Il Etait Temps will be very hard to beat. He’s bombproof and they can ride him whatever way they want. He is versatile on ground and track.

“But look at how much we have improved from last year. It is hard to quantify what that improvement is numerically, so we are going there full of hope and we will give it our best shot.”

Heading into Friday’s racing in Britain, Skelton was 2/7 to win his first National Hunt trainers’ championship. With a prize money haul of over £1.7 million already, he led by £904,798 ahead of his nearest pursuer, Olly Murphy, while Willie Mullins sits in 113th place at present on just £34,603 (priced up at 5/2 to win a third British title in a row).

Skelton was quoted at 2/5 to win the championship after this weekend last season, and was a 1/12 shot entering the Aintree Grand National Festival (when Mullins was more than £1.3 million off the lead). Keeping his foot to the floor, winning early battles like this, might yet prove vitally important again come the end of the campaign.