Trainers Championship 2024/25
Betting on racing is about far more than just a horse, with the jockey and training team also key in creating a winning combination. It can therefore be useful to know who the best trainers are to guide you towards the best runners in big races like the Grand National.
In the UK there are two horse racing codes – jumps and flat. Each has their own season and during that period a tally of winners and total prize money is recorded by the British Horse Racing Authority and the yard that come out on top each season are awarded the ‘Top Trainer’ title.
National Hunt Trainers Championship
The jumps trainers’ championship runs each year from April, with the final day of the jumps season held at the Sandown bet365 Gold Cup Meeting that month.
The main jumps season months are from October to April, and with the title decided on total prize money, not total winners, the summer months don’t really impact the final result.
Having several winners at the big UK jumps festivals like the Cheltenham Festival in March and the Aintree Grand National Meeting in April normally goes a long way to deciding the jumps trainers’ championship each season. The current Champion jumps trainer is Willie Mullins, wresting the title from the grasp of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls who had traded Trainers Championship victories since the 2005/06 season.
Mullins’ achievement made him the first Irishman to claim the honour in 70. It was quite the effort, but showed the depth of his stable and the dominance he now enjoys at the Cheltenham Festival.
Jump Trainers’ Championship Standings & Odds 2024/25
Despite the jumps season not really get going till around October, the current standings already contain the usual suspects. Dan Skelton is opening up a handy lead over the field, but Willie Mullins is sure to grace the winners circle at the business end of the season, and so can’t be discounted yet.
| Trainer | Wins | Prize Money | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Skelton | 123 | £1,772,899 | 4/11 |
Paul Nicholls | 62 | £1,235,700 | 14/1 |
Nicky Henderson | 44 | £972,393 | 14/1 |
Olly Murphy | 80 | £884,172 | – |
Nigel Twiston-Davies | 49 | £865,604 | – |
Willie Mullins | 5 | £80,755 | 5/1 |
*Statistics last updated on 3rd January 2025.
It’s not only British trainers who should be kept an eye on though, as the best Irish based trainers all feature heavily at the big UK festivals like Cheltenham and Aintree. Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead all bring their best long distance runners to the Grand National. The latest Irish trainers standings can be found here.
| Trainer | Wins | Runs | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Elliott | 103 | 779 | €2,493,740 |
| Willie Mullins | 115 | 480 | €2,170,650 |
| Gavin Cromwell | 54 | 435 | €1,157,325 |
| Henry de Bromhead | 67 | 374 | €1,103,360 |
| JP O’Brien | 30 | 137 | €769,975 |
*Statistics last updated on 3rd January 2025.
National Hunt Trainers Championship previous winners
- Most National Hunt Championship titles: Martin Pipe (15)
- Most consecutive titles: 10, Martin Pipe (1996-2005)
Gordon Elliott Stable Visit – Cullentra House: Two time Grand National winner Tiger Roll with trainer Gordon Elliott and groom Louise Magee during the stable visit to Gordon Elliott’s yard at Cullentra House, Co. Meath. Brian Lawless/PA Images/Ritzau Scanpix
Flat Trainers Championship
The flat trainers’ championship is also settled on total prize money won and not total winners as it used to be.
The flat trainers’ championship runs from January to December each year, but many feel the main flat season months are from April to October.
Yes, there are flat turf races in March and November, but from November to March the flat focus switches to the All Weather racing.
The AW tracks also hold their own trainers championship, but any winners are also counted towards the main flat trainers’ championship.
However, with the main flat races and the bigger prize money on offer between the months of April and October, this is when the flat trainers’ title is really decided.
The powerful John Gosden yard has won the flat trainers’ title four times, but they had to make do with third place in 2021, as both Charlie Appleby and Andrew Balding finished the season with more prize money.
Despite being based in Ireland, the powerful Aidan O’Brien yard often raid the big UK races with success and that has resulted in them picking up the top flat trainers’ title six times (2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2016 and 2017).
Other names on the flat trainers’ hall of fame in recent years have been Richard Hannon Jnr (2014) and Sir Michael Stoute, who has 10 titles to his name.
Flat Trainers Championship previous winners
- Most titles: Alec Taylor, Jr. (12)
- Most consecutive titles: Alec Taylor, Jr (1917-1923)
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