Irish raider Mullins can’t win, warns champion Nicholls

PAUL NICHOLLS warned his Irish rival Willie Mullins that he faces an almost impossible task to wrestle away his jump trainer’s title next season. Nicholls, crowned champion for the 10th time at Sandown on Saturday, suggested his biggest threat in the 2016-17 campaign might come from ambitious former assistant Dan Skelton, even though Mullins has said he is determined to give the title another shot. Mullins, beaten by £97,825, only pressed on for the championship after his seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival and six at the Grand National meeting put him in pole position. Had Vautour won the £112,788 first prize rather than fallen in the Melling Chase, the title would have gone his way. But Nicholls (below) said it is simplistic to think Mullins can easily increase the number of runners he sends to Britain from his base in County Carlow. Nicholls said: ‘It is still tough for Willie to keep bringing those horses over. They may think this season was the one they should have won the title. ‘When I had Denman, Kauto Star, Big Buck’s and Master Minded people used to say why don’t you try to win the championship in Ireland, but one of the reasons was how much travelling takes out of the horses. When Kauto Star won at Down Royal (in 2008), we ran him in the Betfair Chase at Haydock three weeks later and he was beaten. He did not run to form and that was why.’ Nicholls said the key to his continued success is unearthing fresh Grade One horses. He won the title despite winning only two races at the highest level. Nicholls said: ‘The edge is the right horses. We are in a rebuilding phase but we have shown we can do it.’