Willie Mullins successfully defended his British 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.
Skelton started the day over £68,000 in front of Mullins, but an easy win for Oaksey Chase favourite Gaelic Warrior and then a surprise as Il Etait Temps topped the odds-on Jonbon in Celebration Chase saw the defending champion seize control.
Training the second, third, fourth and fifth-placed horses in the bet355 Gold Cup set the seal on another success for Mullins, with Skelton having to settle for second again.
