This week the eyes of the racing world will be fixed firmly on Cheltenham, but in just a couple of days the focus will be back on the domestic scene as the battle for the National Hunt trainer’s championship nears its crescendo.

The tussle between Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins has ebbed and flowed and that will remain the case as the major domestic festivals loom large on the horizon.

At present Elliott has a lead of over €300,000 (the title being determined on prizemoney) on Mullins with the season set to end at Punchestown on 28 April.

Between now and Punchestown there are 22 blacktype races set to take place in Ireland and both trainers are sure to win their share of them but the critical pre-Punchestown prize is unquestionably the €500,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National.

If either Mullins or Elliott were to land the richest race in the jump racing calendar it would be central in determining the outcome of the title battle which could easily see both parties send out in excess of 200 winners for the season. This landmark alone would represent a staggering achievement.

MULLINS’ NATIONAL CANDIDATE

In terms of both the championship and the Irish Grand National, last Saturday’s action from Gowran was quite notable despite the meeting taking place on absolutely dire ground.

Willie Mullins reeled off a five timer with pride of place going to Pairofbrowneyes whose first outing for the trainer saw him pick up the €100,000 Leinster National.

The Luso gelding cruised through the race and looked as though he had just joined in when he eased into the lead before the third last fence. From this point on he remained in control and he ran out a decidedly cosy winner under the most exacting of conditions.

In showing that he stays at least three miles Pairofbrowneyes has opened up a new range of options for himself for the remainder of the season and any drying in the ground over the coming weeks will suit him well.

For his next run he is likely to take in either the Irish National or Aintree and he would appeal as a terrific candidate for either on the evidence of last weekend.

FLAT SEASON STARTS SOON

The 2018 Irish Flat Season begins in just over a week’s time at Naas and there was quite a notable classic trial run at Dundalk last Friday in the Listed Patton Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien sent out a one-two-three here with the Breeders Cup hero Mendelssohn leading home his classy stablemates Threeandfourpence and Seahenge.

This Listed victory sets up Mendelssohn for a trip to Dubai for the UAE Derby in a few week’s time while a Kentucky Derby bid is firmly on the cards for this son of Scat Daddy. No European horse has won the Kentucky Derby but the dream is not an impossible one as the relatively unconsidered English raider Bold Arrangement showed when he finished second to Ferdinand all the way back in 1986.