Trainers Championship 2026/27
Last Updated 3 days ago | By The GrandNational.org.uk StaffBetting on racing is about far more than just a horse. The jockey and the yard behind it both shape a winning run. It pays to know who’s in form, especially heading into big meetings like the Grand National.
Britain’s two racing codes, jumps and flat, each run their own season-long trainers’ title, decided on total prize money rather than number of winners. The yard that earns the most over the season is crowned Champion Trainer.
National Hunt Trainers’ Championship
The Jump Trainers’ Championship runs from early May to the following April, with the bulk of the prize money on offer at the big spring festivals. Having a strong week at Cheltenham or Aintree tends to go a long way towards winning it.
Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls shared the title between them from 2004/05 onwards, until Willie Mullins broke their duopoly in 2023/24, becoming the first Ireland-based trainer to win the British title since Vincent O’Brien in 1953/54, more than 70 years earlier. Mullins retained it the following season too, but it was Dan Skelton who finally got the better of him in 2025/26, winning his first title with a record £5 million-plus in prize money. He’s chasing a second title in 2026/27 and has extended his lead at the top of this season’s table.
Jump Trainers’ Championship Standings 2026/27
The battle for the Jump Trainers Championship proved an epic battle between Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins last time out. Dan Skelton had looked set to comfortably win, but a monumental Cheltenham Festival and Grand National from Willie Mullins meant it was the Irishman who ultimately came out on top. The new season looks set for another close battle, with bookmakers actually favouring Dan Skelton to win this time round.
| Trainer | Wins | Places | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
Dan Skelton | 117 | 181 | £1.08m |
Mickey Bowen | 36 | 111 | £422k |
Olly Murphy | 42 | 107 | £406k |
Jonjo & AJ O’Neill | 31 | 78 | £328k |
Jamie Snowden | 27 | 57 | £280k |
Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore | 18 | 83 | £260k |
*Statistics last updated on 27th October 2026.
Martin Pipe holds the record for the most titles, with 15, including 10 in a row between 1996 and 2005, so both records that look safe for the foreseeable future.
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
Irish National Hunt Trainers’ Championship
Ireland runs its own jump trainers’ title, settled the same way as the British version, on prize money rather than winners. It’s been dominated for years by Willie Mullins, whose Closutton yard has taken the Irish title 19 times.
Early in the 2026/27 season, it’s a straight fight at the top between Mullins and Henry de Bromhead, both trainers whose horses regularly turn up at Aintree.
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
Willie Mullins | 304 | 67 | €1.18m |
Henry de Bromhead | 291 | 52 | €950k |
Gordon Elliott | 446 | 47 | €717k |
Gavin Cromwell | 271 | 29 | €356k |
PJ Rothwell | 299 | 19 | €278k |
John Patrick Ryan | 229 | 17 | €265k |
*Statistics last updated on 27th October 2026.
Flat Trainers Championship
The Flat Trainers’ Championship runs from 1st January to 31st December, though the bulk of the prize money is earned between the Guineas meeting in May and British Champions Day in October.
John Gosden has won the title six times, more than anyone training currently, while Charlie Appleby took back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. Aidan O’Brien’s powerful Irish yard regularly tops the table too, despite being based outside Britain, with six titles to his name.
This year’s race has gone down to a tight battle at the top. Andrew Balding led for much of the season,a yard not previously among the sport’s perennial contenders for the title, but Aidan O’Brien’s Irish operation has edged back ahead as the season enters its final stretch.
Flat Trainers Championship previous winners
Sir Michael Stoute has 10 Flat titles to his name, with Alec Taylor Jr the all-time record holder on 12, including seven in a row between 1917 and 1923.
If you’re after trainers with the Grand National in mind specifically, our Grand National trainers to follow page is the one to check, and our Jockeys’ Championships page covers the equivalent title for riders.
Trainers’ Championships FAQs
Who is leading the Jump Trainers’ Championship?
Dan Skelton currently leads the 2026/27 Jump Trainers’ Championship with £910,179 in prize money, well clear of Olly Murphy and Mickey Bowen.
Who won the Jump Trainers’ Championship last season?
Dan Skelton won the 2025/26 Jump Trainers’ Championship, his first title, with a record £5,044,586 in prize money. It ended Willie Mullins’s two-year run as champion.
Who is leading the Flat Trainers’ Championship?
Aidan O’Brien currently leads the 2026 Flat Trainers’ Championship with £9,133,333 in prize money, narrowly ahead of Andrew Balding.
How is the Trainers’ Championship decided?
Both the Jump and Flat Trainers’ Championships are decided on total prize money earned over the season, not the number of winners, so a single big-race victory, such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup or the Grand National, would count for more than several smaller wins.
Who has won the most Jump Trainers’ Championships?
Martin Pipe has won the most Jump Trainers’ Championships, with 15 titles including 10 in a row between 1996 and 2005.
Who was the first Irish-based trainer to win the British Jump Trainers’ Championship in modern times?
Willie Mullins became the first Ireland-based trainer to win the British Jump Trainers’ Championship since Vincent O’Brien in 1953/54, when he claimed the title in 2023/24.
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The GrandNational.org.uk Staff
