Dan Skelton Aims for Historic Wins at Scottish Grand National and Beyond
Dan Skelton is set to be crowned the UK’s champion trainer over jumps for the first time this season, with a record-breaking campaign approaching its conclusion. Having recently made history by becoming the first trainer to reach £4m in prize money in a British jumps season, Skelton prepares to send five runners on a 320-mile trip to Ayr this Saturday, aiming to close in on the £200,000 needed to surpass £5m. The trainer has already seen success at 39 of Britain’s 41 jumping tracks this season, with only Perth and Plumpton remaining. Despite a challenging track record at Plumpton, where his stable has drawn a blank from 20 runners, Skelton remains optimistic about the upcoming Sussex Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle on Sunday. “It’s never been done before so we’re going to give it our best shot,” Skelton remarked, expressing hope for a breakthrough at Plumpton. The Scottish Grand National has historically played a pivotal role in the trainers’ championship race. With Willie Mullins having relinquished his title, he sends only one runner on Saturday. Patrick Mullins, who faced a setback at Aintree last weekend, takes the reins on Road To Home, who narrowly missed victory in the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir at Cheltenham last month. Key contenders for the Scottish Grand National include: King Of Answers (3.35), trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, looks a strong bet after a solid performance at Cheltenham. Traprain Law at Ayr 1.10 is anticipated to capitalize on a strong gallop. Diamond Dealer at Ayr 1.45 is expected to perform well given the favorable conditions. Other notable mentions include Touleen at Newbury 1.25 and Pride Of Arras at Newbury 2.35, both of whom are poised for strong performances as the season wraps up.
Source: The Guardian Sport - 2026-04-17