Willie Mullins vs Dan Skelton battle forces changes to ITV's season finale schedule
The start time of the final jumps meeting of the season at Sandown on Saturday has been brought forward and the running order changed so fans can follow the climax to the British trainers' championship
The gripping battle between Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton for the British jumps trainers' championship has forced a change to the time schedule and running order for Saturday's showpiece meeting at Sandown.
With the prize-money gap ebbing and flowing with every race, the contest will go down to the wire this weekend at the bet365 Jumps Finale, the last meeting of the 2024-25 season. Mullins holds both the Irish and British jumps trainers' titles, sealing his first British championship when Minella Cocooner landed the bet365 Gold Cup in an end of season spree last year, which included victories in the Grand National and Scottish Grand National.
Still narrowly trailing long-time leader Skelton, chasing his first title, he has 15 horses in the feature handicap at Sandown where the two trainers have made a combined 71 entries on a card with £685,000 up for grabs.
ITV was set to broadcast as much of the unfolding drama as possible but the seventh and final race on Saturday's card, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle, was due to start at 5.20pm, 20 minutes after ITV went off air.
However, Sandown Park Racecourse and the British Horseracing Authority have collaborated to bring forward the first race of the day, the bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle, from 1.50pm to 1.20pm and the closing race from a 5.20pm to 4.45pm start.
Further changes to Saturday's running order include moving the bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase from the sixth to the second race, the bet365 Oaksey Chase from the second to the third, the bet365 Celebration Chase from the third to the fifth, the bet365 Select Hurdle from the fifth to the fourth and the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase from the fourth to the sixth.
ITV Racing's three and a half hour show will now cover the last six races of the season live, giving fans the chance to see the outcome of the title race.
Sandown clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: 'Saturday promises to be a gripping end to the jumps season and we wanted racing fans who can't join us on the day to be able to watch all the drama unfold live on ITV Racing.
'We're incredibly grateful to the BHA, participants and the teams at Haydock Park and Leicester racecourses, who have moved races to accommodate our changes at very short notice.
'All of us at Sandown Park are excited about bringing the curtain down on what has been a fantastic season and showcasing its thrilling conclusion to fans on course and at home.'
Richard Willoughby, ITV Racing Programme Editor, said: 'The quest for the trainers' title looks set to go down to the wire and provides us with a fantastic narrative on Jump Finale day.
'A huge thank you to Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course at Sandown Park, Jockey Club Racecourses, the BHA and RMG for reworking the order of running and for allowing us to show the six races that could prove decisive in deciding who wins this coveted prize.'
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