MONDAY’s Irish Grand National has long been touted as a deciding factor in the race for the Irish trainer’s championship.

As head to heads go, the Elliott/Mullins factor has been a key component of the National Hunt season and let’s hope it lives up to the climax of last weekend’s Masters. That duel on the final day between golfers Sergio Garcia and England’s “other” Rose was right up there with the finest sporting contests that I have watched.