Horse Racing Tips
Five Jumps Trainers To Follow 2025/26
The 2024–25 National Hunt season made it clear which trainers are setting the standard at the top of the game.
These five yards didn’t just win races – they dominated meetings, placed their horses to perfection, and kept punters onside throughout the campaign.
Below, we highlight five National Hunt trainers who stood out last season and look ahead to what they might achieve next.
Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins is the obvious name to begin with when talking about trainers to follow, and for good reason. Year after year, he continues to set the standard in National Hunt racing, and 2025 was no exception. Matching his own record of ten Cheltenham Festival winners, Mullins once again demonstrated his knack for targeting the right races with precision.
His ability to send a select team across the Irish Sea and still come out on top of the Trainers’ Championship, earning over £3.5 million in prize money, highlights the efficiency and consistency that make him unrivalled in the sport.
Dominance has become almost routine for the Closutton maestro, who added another British trainers’ title and a 19th Irish crown to his bulging résumé last season. Victories in prestigious contests like the Grand National, Irish Champion Hurdle, and Irish Gold Cup only reinforced his supremacy.
With established stars such as Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Lossiemouth, and Fact To File leading his latest string. It may seem predictable to tip him once more, but ignoring the reigning champion would be a mistake: his operation continues to define excellence in modern jump racing.
Fact To File is included in Steve Mullington’s Antepost Tips For 2025/26.
Dan Skelton
Dan Skelton has stepped firmly out of the shadows and into the spotlight as one of Britain’s top National Hunt trainers. Once the up-and-comer, he’s now a proven powerhouse whose stable delivers with remarkable regularity.
The New Lion’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle triumph last season was more than just a big win, it signalled Skelton’s readiness to dominate at the very highest level. After finishing runner-up in the trainers’ championship for a second time, his 179 winners last term confirmed a yard that combines relentless output with genuine class.
Heading into the new campaign, Skelton’s team looks deeper and stronger than ever. The New Lion graduates to open company, with early targets like the Fighting Fifth, while Grey Dawning and Protektorat are poised for further Graded success.
Beyond his stars, a reliable squad of handicappers helped push Skelton past £3 million in prize money for the first time, a milestone that speaks volumes about his operation’s depth. Precision placement has become his trademark, horses peaking when it counts most.
Should he continue to pitch more runners into elite company, Skelton could well seize the initiative before Willie Mullins mounts his traditional late surge in the trainers’ title race.
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson remains one of the true giants of National Hunt racing, a trainer whose influence and success span more than four decades. From his renowned Seven Barrows yard, Henderson has built a legacy of excellence, producing some of the most memorable jumpers in racing history.
Even after all these years, his name still commands respect and anticipation whenever the big festivals come around. With 75 Cheltenham Festival winners to his name, he trails only Willie Mullins on the all-time list, a testament to his enduring skill and consistency at the very top of the sport.
Last season may have tested his patience and resilience, but it also reaffirmed Henderson’s knack for uncovering new stars. While some of his established names faltered, fresh talent emerged to carry the yard forward.
Constitution Hill, Sir Gino and Jonbon continue to headline a string rich in promise, even as Constitution Hill’s up-and-down campaign reminded everyone how fine the margins can be at the elite level. As a new season dawns, Henderson looks poised once again to reassert his dominance a master trainer whose eye for detail and instinct for winners make him one to watch every single time the tapes go up.
Olly Murphy
Olly Murphy continues to establish himself as one of the standout young trainers in National Hunt racing. His operation has been in flying form, producing 141 winners last season. Horses such as Resplendent Grey, Go Dante, and Booster Bob have helped propel the yard into the spotlight, each delivering thrilling victories in major handicap chases.
Murphy’s progress shows no sign of slowing. With 45 winners already on the board this term, the team looks poised for another strong campaign. Consistency, attention to detail, and a growing partnership with Champion Jockey Sean Bowen suggest Murphy is edging ever closer to the elite tier. On current evidence, he’s not just one to follow – he’s a trainer ready to make his mark in the biggest races on the calendar.
Gavin Cromwell
Our man and William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell is fast becoming one of the most formidable names in National Hunt racing. Fresh off arguably his best-ever season in, Cromwell reached new heights when Inothewayurthinkin powered to a sensational Cheltenham Gold Cup victory over Galopin Des Champs in March.
His yard continues to expand with remarkable depth and quality, boasting a growing roster of Grade 1 performers, including big money purchase’s like JP McManus’ Bioluminescence.
With big-race success on both sides of the Irish Sea and a stable full of progressive stars, Cromwell’s rise shows no sign of slowing – he’s unquestionably one to watch this season.
