Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton are responsible for a total of 30 runners at Sandown on Saturday as their tussle for the trainers’ championship comes to a climax.

Skelton has led the way since flag fall but Mullins’ typically strong spring on UK soil, including when winning Grand National for the second year running, has seen the defending champion eat significantly into the deficit, with only £24,561 separating the pair at the time of declarations.