Willie Mullins takes second trainers' title after Sandown showdown

SECOND TITLE: Willie Mullins successfully defended his UK trainers' championship after getting the better of a final day showdown with Dan Skelton. Pic: Healy Racing

Willie Mullins successfully defended his UK trainers' championship after getting the better of a final day showdown with Dan Skelton.

The master of Closutton became the first Irish-based handler since Vincent O'Brien in the 1950s to lift the UK jumps trophy on the closing afternoon of last season and came out on top once again after a titanic tussle with Skelton which went down to the final throes of the campaign.