Willie Mullins is 1/7 favourite with Paddy Power to win the British Trainers' Championship again following the declarations for Saturday's card at Sandown.
Dan Skelton (4/1 to claim the title), whose narrow lead was cut again after Mullins bagged a big-race double at Perth on Wednesday, is also very well represented on the final day of the season as he has at least one in every race, but Mullins dominates the fixture with 21 horses declared.
They include 10 in the feature bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, which has a total prize pot of £175,000 (£98,472.50 to the winner), while the impressive Aintree winner Gaelic Warrior is among four for Closutton in the Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase which has a combined £80,000 up for grabs.
Gaelic Warrior is owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci and, regarding Mullins' latest title challenge, their racing manager Joe Chambers said on Thursday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "It's interesting as last year I think there was a groundswell of support to do something that hadn't even been on the radar throughout that season.
"It was the first time Willie had done it and the first time [an Irish trainer had won the British Championship] since Mr Vincent O'Brien and there was support from his owners to get him over the line and to try and achieve it.
"We tried to give it a crack a few years ago and Vautour made sure that didn't happen almost single-handedly by getting chinned in the King George and tipping up in the Melling [at Aintree], which would have made the difference on the day.
"I think this year, it wasn't really on five minutes before the Grand National started and you do something quite extraordinary then, and five minutes after it you're thinking crikey here we go again. And to do it back-to-back would be a hell of an achievement.
"I think for Dan Skelton, I must say he's conducted himself brilliantly with you guys [the media] over the last couple of weeks and to bring in three million quid and not win it would be a fair kick in the you-know-whats. Especially the way he's campaigned all season.
"But I think Willie has probably sent a few more midweek runners this year, led by Patrick. We've certainly had a few more and we've generated more prize money in the UK than we have in Ireland and to do it back-to-back would be a significant achievement."
As for the three-length Bowl winner Gaelic Warrior, who also had the option of dropping back in trip for the Celebration Chase and a clash with Sandown regular Jonbon, Chambers feels the two and three-quarter mile option is the right call due to the current underfoot conditions in Esher.
"I think over two miles he is very ground dependent," he said. "The chase track as you well know always rides a little bit better than the hurdles track at Sandown and I don't think, as much as we'd love to have a crack at Jonbon, I don't think we were going to see him at his best over two miles on that ground (good). He got beat last year over two miles as a novice chaser on decent ground, he won over three miles at Punchestown on decent ground.
"We've always wanted to have a go at Sandown with him."
In regard to the horse potentially turning out at Punchestown again next week, Chambers added: "Never say never with said animal, or said trainer."
One Ricci representative who does not help form part of the raiding party at Sandown is Lossiemouth, winner of the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and Aintree Hurdle at the recent Grand National Festival.
Chambers said: "Unlike Gaelic Warrior, she really felt the ground at Aintree. She hung quite badly up the straight from the second-last home, and Paul is adamant that she wasn't at her best and didn't enjoy the ground. So we were always a little more reticent about sending her on what's looking like pretty decent ground despite the watering that Andrew Cooper and his team have done.
"I actually think the ground is going to have a pretty significant impact on the day, I think a lot of Willie's would probably prefer softer ground and I don't think he's going to get it."
O'Moore Park runs in the famous pink and green silks in the bet365 Gold Cup and Chambers is not ruling out a big performance from the eight-year-old.
He said: "He's got in off 10 stone as the top one has stayed in. He's improved with every run and I think he's one who will appreciate this ground as well as the step up in trip. I would fancy us to step up and improve on his previous form for the extra trip and he's generally a sound and safe jumper."
Current Going: Good
Runners and riders
1:20pm bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 216y
1 Give It To Me Oj 4 12 0 Mr Omar Jackson Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn
2 Serious Challenge (IRE) 5 11 13 Martin St Quinton & TheYesNoWaitSorries Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke
3 Wolf Moon 5 11 8 Mrs F Hook Ben Pauling Ben Jones
4 HMS President (IRE) 8 11 8 HP Racing HMS President Alan King Tom Cannon
5 St Pancras 4 11 7 Andrew & Sarah Wates Toby Lawes Kevin Brogan
6 Mythical Moon 5 11 5 The Lee Family, A Stennett & J Wright Alan King Brendan Powell
7 We're Red And Blue 5 11 5 Mr. Patrick Doyle Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
8 Kientzheim (FR) 5 11 5 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson James Bowen
9 Sorceleur (FR) ts 5 11 3 John White & Anne Underhill Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
10 Big Ginge (IRE) 5 11 1 Mr J. D. Neild Nigel Twiston-Davies Mr Jamie Neild (7)
11 John Barbour ts 6 11 1 Old Gold Racing 26 Fergal O'Brien Jack Hogan
12 Fasol ts, p 6 11 0 Mr P. J. Vogt and Mr Bryan Drew Paul Nicholls Harry Skelton
13 Quantock Hills (FR) 4 11 0 Jim and Claire Limited Warren Greatrex Paul O'Brien
14 Marche d'Aligre (FR) 4 10 10 Billam Roe Swindell Wilson & the Molds Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan
15 Nardaran (FR) ts, p 4 10 7 Martin Broughton & Friends 2 Paul Nicholls Sean Bowen
1:50pm bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase 2m 4f 10y
1 Mark of Gold 8 12 0 Stevie Fisher & Friends Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn
2 Insurrection (IRE) ts 8 11 11 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate - Insurrect Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
3 Bad (FR) bl 6 11 9 Mr D. P. Howden Ben Pauling Ben Jones
4 Riskintheground (IRE) ts 8 11 9 3 Sons Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
5 Mahons Glory (IRE) 9 11 7 C Nightingale & Hold My Beer Partnership Dylan Cunha Lee Edwards
6 Pic Roc (IRE) p 7 11 5 Mrs Emma Kendall Ben Pauling Kielan Woods
7 Inedit Star (FR) 7 10 13 Crossed Fingers Partnership Nick Kent Tom Broughton (5)
8 Eyed ts 8 10 9 Mr Martin Hughes Hughie Morrison Jonathan Burke
9 Classic Anthem (IRE) 7 10 7 The Minions Jim Boyle Sean Bowen
2:25pm bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) 2m 6f 164y
1 Appreciate It (IRE) ts 11 11 8 Miss M. A. Masterson W. P. Mullins Ireland Sean O'Keeffe
2 Classic Getaway (IRE) 9 11 8 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins
3 Gaelic Warrior (GER) h,ts 7 11 8 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend
4 Pic D'orhy (FR) ts 10 11 8 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
5 Ga Law (FR) bl 9 11 6 The Footie Partnership Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan
6 Gentleman de Mee (FR) ts 9 11 6 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland Mark Walsh
7 Boombawn (IRE) 8 11 5 Bullen-Smith & Faulks Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
8 Le Patron (FR) ts, p 7 11 5 Mrs E. Avery Gary & Josh Moore David Noonan
9 Hitman (FR) ts, p 9 11 2 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell
3:00pm bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 5f 110y
1 Blueking d'Oroux (FR) 6 11 10 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
2 Gwennie May Boy (IRE) 7 11 10 Ms Gwendoline M Clarke Dan Skelton Charlie Todd
3 Lucky Place (FR) 6 11 10 Mrs G. Van Geest & Mr M. George Nicky Henderson James Bowen
4 Kitzbuhel (FR) h 5 11 8 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend
5 Salver (FR) 5 11 7 Mr Keith Graves Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn
6 Take No Chances (IRE) 7 11 3 Mr Garry Wilson Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
3:35pm bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 99y
1 Edwardstone 11 11 10 Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle Alan King Tom Cannon
2 Energumene (FR) 11 11 10 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend
3 Harper's Brook (IRE) p 9 11 10 The Megsons Dan Skelton Kielan Woods
4 Il Etait Temps (FR) h,ts 7 11 10 Hollywood Racing & Barnane Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins
5 Jonbon (FR) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson Mark Walsh
6 Master Chewy (IRE) 8 11 10 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
7 Unexpected Party (FR) ts 10 11 10 O'Reilly MacLennan Tynan Carthy Shanahan Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
4:10pm bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m 4f 146y
1 Grangeclare West (IRE) 9 12 0 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Brian Hayes
2 Minella Cocooner (IRE) 9 11 1 Mr David Bobbett W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins
3 Threeunderthrufive (IRE) ts, p 10 11 0 McNeill Family Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
4 Dancing City (FR) 8 10 11 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
5 High Class Hero 8 10 8 Sullivan Group Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend
6 Victtorino (FR) 7 10 8 Martians Racing Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
7 Monbeg Genius (IRE) ts, p 9 10 5 Martin Tedham & Wasdell Properties Ltd. Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Richie McLernon
8 Lombron (FR) 6 10 2 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland Rachael Blackmore
9 Olympic Man (FR) h 8 10 2 Mrs Audrey Turley W. P. Mullins Ireland Jonathan Burke
10 Resplendent Grey (IRE) p 7 10 2 Mrs R. J. Skan Olly Murphy Sean Bowen
11 O'Moore Park (IRE) h 8 10 2 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland Sean O'Keeffe
12 Goshen (FR) p 9 10 2 Mr Steven Packham Gary & Josh Moore Niall Houlihan
13 Spanish Harlem (FR) ts, p 7 10 2 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland Sam Twiston-Davies
14 Collectors Item (IRE) bl 8 10 2 Jackdaws Antiques Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Kevin Brogan
15 Chosen Witness (IRE) h,ts 8 10 2 Monabeg Investments Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland Kevin Sexton
16 King's Threshold (IRE) ts 8 10 2 Sailing to Byzantium Emma Lavelle Ben Jones
17 Transmission (IRE) p 8 10 2 Paul McKeon Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell
18 Klarc Kent (FR) p 9 10 2 Mr Colm O'Connell W. P. Mullins Ireland Kieran Callaghan (5)
19 Hoe Joly Smoke ts 7 10 2 Babbitt Racing Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
20 Knockanore (IRE) p 8 10 2 Ms J. Bennett Ryan Potter Freddie Mitchell (3)
4:45pm bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 173y
1 Bunting (FR) 5 12 0 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend
2 King Alexander (IRE) 7 11 11 Mr John I Neocleous W. P. Mullins Ireland Brian Hayes
3 Push The Button (IRE) p 6 11 11 Jimmy & Susie Wenman Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
4 Dr Eggman (FR) 7 11 9 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins
5 Electric Mason (IRE) 6 11 6 KTDA Racing and Mrs Nicola Morris Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon (3)
6 Jump Allen (FR) ts 6 11 4 McSweeney Bros. Quarries Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland Harry Cobden
7 Ike Sport (FR) h,ts, p 7 11 4 The Chosen Few Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell
8 Peacenik (IRE) 6 11 0 Mr Nick Elliott Katy Price Shane Quinlan (3)
9 Mostly Sunny (IRE) p 6 10 5 (6lb ex) Mighty Macs Syndicate Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
10 Got Grey (FR) ts 6 10 3 Only Here For The Beer Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell (3)
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