Willie Mullins has been crowned the British Champion Trainer for the second successive season following the final day's action at Sandown.
Trainers' Title Final Standings
Willie Mullins £3,570,989
Dan Skelton £3,371,483
12 months ago he became the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O'Brien 70 years ago to be crowned champion over jumps in Britain and he's done it once again.
Trailing Skelton going into the final day, Mullins hit the front after the bet365 Select Hurdle with Kitzbuhel finishing third and he extended clear after Il Etait Temps sunk Jonbon in the Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase.
Fittingly, that was an outstanding training performance, the grey running for the first time in 359 days after being absent with injury for most of this campaign.
The title challenge began at the Cheltenham Festival and really ignited when Nick Rockett led home a 1-2-3-5-7 for Mullins in the Randox Grand National, son Patrick riding the winner amidst emotional scenes.
After that Mullins targeted British prizemoney wherever he could and he sealed a second British title with a stellar final day at Sandown, Il Etait Temps and Gaelic Warrior winning the highlights, while he saddled the second, third, fourth and fifth behind winner Resplendent Grey in the bet365 Gold Cup.
Mullins said: "I could see doubts everywhere. I couldn't look at a TV or newspaper in the last week as people had me 1/12 to win it. We were running horses back quicker than we normally do so I couldn't come here with confidence.
"It's a tough game, I felt there was more publicity this year than last year. It's tough on Dan going home, but I was second six or seven times in Ireland before becoming champion, it doesn't come easy.
"It's not as simple as you think when you're starting off.
"Dan has a fantastic yard with good horses, jockeys and owners and it will all come to fruition."
Mullins wins the title - as it happened
1.50 Sandown
£20,812 on offer for the winner in the bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase and that's Mark Of Gold for Gary & Josh Moore who narrowly beats game frontrunner Mahons Glory.
No prizemoney for Skelton here with Riskintheground only seventh.
2.25 Sandown
The Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase next and here come the Mullins army.
£80,000 is on offer with Appreciate It, Classic Getaway, Gaelic Warrior and Gentleman De Mee unleashed from Closutton.
Boombawn is the sole representative for Skelton. Gaelic Warrior is the odds-on favourite.
And he does it in style, GAELIC WARRIOR well on top under Paul Townend to land the £45,560 first prize. Appreciate It gets another £17,096 for finishing second, Gentleman De Mee £4,264 in fourth and Classic Getaway £1,072 in sixth.
That's £67,992 for Mullins and he's cut right into Skelton's lead there.
Skelton does get £2,144 for Boombawn running a cracker in fifth.
3.00 Sandown
So, Skelton leads Mullins by just £2,634 heading into the Grade 2 bet365 Select Hurdle.
Kitzbuhel is the favourite for Mullins here with £45,560 available to the winner again. Skelton has two in there aiming to pick up as much prizemoney as possible, Take No Chances and Gwennie May Boy.
The good news is there's six runners with prizemoney down to sixth.
BLUEKING D'OROUX wins the Select Hurdle for Paul Nicholls who of course has his say at the Sandown Jumps Finale.
Kitzbuhel gets third and £8,560, with Skelton picking up £3,216 for combined fifth and sixth prizemoney, which means Mullins noses himself in front of the title race for the first time this season.
3.35 Sandown
Jonbon time, in the bet365 Celebration Chase.
£175,000 up for grabs in the sole Grade 1 on the card and Mullins has Energumene and Il Etait Temps while Skelton runs Unexpected Party and Harpers Brook.
Mullins leads by £2,709 heading into this.
A significant blow landed in the title race as IL ETAIT TEMPS beats Jonbon to land the £99,662 first prize for Mullins. Energumene gets £18,725 for third for good measure.
4.10 Sandown
Well, it's all over bar the shouting. Mullins has 10 in the bet365 Gold Cup, just to rubber-stamp matters.
RESPLENDENT GREY wins the bet365 Gold Cup with a late lunge under Champion Jockey Sean Bowen for Olly Murphy, with Mullins horses finishing second, third, fourth and fifth!
We'll get the calculator out, but Mullins is the UK Champion Trainer for the second successive season.
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