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A look at the respective runners of Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls on Saturday as the pair battle for the National Hunt trainers title. With the jumps trainers championship reaching a thrilling climax at Sandown on Saturday, Ashley Iveson runs the rule over seven races that will define a season.Paul Nicholls has a lead of £53,592 heading into Saturday, but with £150,000 up for grabs in the bet365 Gold Cup alone, its all to play for. Click here for the latest betting in the trainers championshipWillie Mullins - £2,275,659 (before racing Saturday)Paul Nicholls - £2,329,251 (before racing Saturday)2.20 - bet365 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Prize-money £50,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Tommy SilverWILLIE MULLINS: Voix Du ReveVOIX DU REVE looked sure to go close when coming to grief at the final flight in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham. He is 5lb higher now, though, and might have to make do with minor honours behind Wolf Of Windlesham. Paul Nicholls relies upon TOMMY SILVER, but he perhaps needs softer ground.OUTCOME: 1 Wolf Of Windlesham, 2 Voix Du Reve 3 Duke Street3.00 - bet365 Oaksey Chase (Prize-money £50,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Saphir Du Rheu, Rocky Creek, Wonderful CharmWILLIE MULLINS: Valseur Lido, BallycaseyVALSEUR LIDO has an excellent opportunity to secure an important victory for Mullins. The testing nature of Sandown will play to his strengths and he is well treated by the conditions of the race. Nicholls saddles SAPHIR DU RHEU, ROCKY CREEK and WONDERFUL CHARM, with the former taken to finish third.OUTCOME: 1 Valseur Lido, 2 Menorah, 3 Saphir Du Rheu3.35 - bet365 Celebration Chase (Prize-money £125,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Dodging Bullets, Solar Impulse, Ulck Du LinWILLIE MULLINS: Un De SceauxA key contest in many respects and Sprinter Sacre can confirm Cheltenham authority over the Mullins-trained UN DE SCEAUX, who is expected to pick up the second prize of almost £27,000. Former champion chaser DODGING BULLETS can make a slight return to form by finishing in the money for Nicholls.OUTCOME: 1 Sprinter Sacre, 2 Un De Sceaux, 3 Dodging Bullets4.10 - bet365 Gold Cup (Prize-money £150,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Southfield Theatre, Just A ParWILLIE MULLINS: Sir Des Champs, MeasureofmydreamsHuge amounts of money at stake, but it could be that the two title-chasing trainers are out of luck in what is always a terrifically difficult race to win.OUTCOME: 1 Sausalito Sunrise, 2 Henri Parry Morgan, 3 Bishops Road, 4 Le Reve4.45 - bet365 Select Hurdle (Prize-money £50,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Ptit Zig, San Benedeto, SilsolWILLIE MULLINS: Vroum Vroum MagThe Mullins-trained VROUM VROUM MAG is the banker of the afternoon and should win cosily. PTIT ZIG is an interesting contender for Nicholls, though, and can chase him home.OUTCOME: 1 Vroum Vroum Mag, 2 Ptit Zig, 3 Ubak5.20 - bet365 Josh Gifford Novices Handicap Chase (Prize-money £30,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: 5.20 As De Mee, Some Buckle, CaliptoWILLIE MULLINS: No runnersNicholls can cash in with SOME BUCKLE, who opened his account over fences in good style at Haydock last month, appearing to relish the sound surface. Stablemate Calipto is a good horse and must also have sound place claims.OUTCOME: 1 Some Buckle, 2 Thomas Crapper, 3 Calipto5.55 - bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Prize-money £30,000)PAUL NICHOLLS: Qualando, Red Hanrahan, Alcala, ChartbreakerWILLIE MULLINS: McKinley, Burgas, Bellow MomeThe progressive BELLOW MOME looks the pick for Mullins, but staying-on Taunton runner-up QUALANDO is also respected for Nicholls. Both trainers might find it tough if Ma Du Fou makes amends from a rather puzzling run at Aintree.OUTCOME: 1 Ma Du Fou, 2 Qualando, 3 Bellow Mome, 4 MatoricoCONCLUSION: Willie Mullins to claim two victories on the card, but Some Buckle and a raft of placed horses can haul Paul Nicholls over the line.Mullins following trail blazed by the great Vincent OBrienWillie Mullins will join exalted company should he defeat Paul Nicholls to claim what has been an enthralling race for Britains trainers title.The Closutton handler would emulate the great Vincent OBrien, who broke new ground when crowned champion in two successive campaigns in 1952-53 and 1953-54.Considering what OBrien went on to do on the Flat, no one ever imagined his feat would be repeated on UK shores.OBrien was a trainer without parallel and was very much a pioneer and an innovator. For example, he was the first trainer to use flying as a means of transporting horses across sea.He saw the advantage of horses going on an away day rather than be absent from their usual surroundings overnight or longer.Times may have changed enormously in those 62 years, but like OBrien in his day, Mullins is a supreme master of his trade.Totally dedicated to the sport and always willing to learn and try new techniques, both quickly realised you have to be a step ahead of your contemporaries if you are to be number one. Once there, you must continue with that philosophy and double your efforts.OBriens success was remarkable. He is the only man to have trained three consecutive Grand National winners and with three different horses - Early Mist (1953), Royal Tan (1954) and Quare Times (1955).He did the same in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Cottage Rake who was the first to win the blue riband three years in a row, between 1948-50.Hattons Grace won three successive Champion Hurdles (1949-51) for OBrien and was also successful on the Flat, winning the Irish Lincolnshire in 1949 and the Irish Cesarewitch.Mullins has made his mark in the Grand National and the three top Cheltenham races and he does not too badly with his little forays to the big Flat meetings. He has had four winners at Royal Ascot, though not yet anywhere near the level of OBrien because he concentrates chiefly on the jumps.Amazingly, OBrien had never been to Cheltenham before 1948 when he had the first of 23 Festival winners that spanned up until 1959 and he never drew a blank there.In that time he won the Gloucestershire Hurdle, the forerunner of the Supreme Novices Hurdle, 10 times.Strangely, after beginning the 1950s as champion jumps trainer in Ireland, he was beaten first Tom Dreaper and then Paddy Sleator as his focus turned to Britain.That has not happened to Mullins. His dominance in Ireland is stronger than ever, despite the emergence of young trainers such as Gordon Elliott. His first title came in 2000/1 when he split Noel Meades total of eight in nine years and it has been his alone since 2007-08.This is the first season Mullins has really had a go at winning the British title, starting by tackling the big Saturday races, which the UKs top two, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, have usually farmed in recent times.Cheltenham was the only meeting he really targeted until this year, when he sent a big team to Aintree without compromising his chances at the big Easter Festival at Fairyhouse and the end-of-season meeting at Punchestown in late April.Not only do you need the right ammunition, but even the best horses have to be primed to be at their best for the big races, wherever and whenever they may be.Mullins has proved a dab-hand at that and whatever happens on Saturday, he has set the bar staggeringly high, just as OBrien did before him.Nicholls: Weve given it our best shotPaul Nicholls intends to be gracious in victory or defeat as his enthralling title battle with Willie Mullins comes to what promises to be a thrilling conclusion at Sandown on Saturday.By his own admission this season has been a relatively low-key one for the master of Ditcheat, and yet he is tantalisingly close to being crowned Britains champion National Hunt trainer for the 10th time.Mullins - aiming to become the first Irish-based trainer to be claim the British crown since Vincent OBrien in the 1950s - has remarkably trained less than 30 winners this side of the Irish Sea this term, but his dominance of the top-class events at Cheltenham and Aintree this spring - where he saddled seven and six winners respectively - looked to have put him in a commanding position.However, Nicholls came roaring back last weekend, with Vicentes Scottish Grand National triumph the highlight of an Ayr four-timer and he has continued in similarly spectacular form since to ensure he now holds the aces ahead of the final day.Weve had a great season and being competitive you want to win the championship. We want to keep it in the UK rather than it go to Ireland, said Nicholls.ts been quite tough this year. We only had five winners by October 1 and we didnt have the Grade One horses weve had in the past.Arguably we only have one Grade One horse in training, Silviniaco Conti, and he has had more than his share of problems this season.You cant just go out and buy horses like Kauto Star and Master Minded any more. Those days are gone.We have concentrated on recruiting and bringing on promising young horses for the future such as our juveniles and the group of bumper horses that have been so successful lately.Nicholls insists he is proud of the yards achievements this season, no matter what the result this weekend, and if he does come up short, he will be happy to congratulate the new champion.He told Betfair: Im thrilled that we have won over 120 races, earning over #2.3million in prize-money for their owners and we have had more winners than any other yard this season, which is, I think, a first for us.I do tend to feel the pressure on these big days because I hate the idea of letting people down when things dont work out.But ours has always been a team effort and I am encouraged by all the messages of support that we have had in the past few days.Weve fought back and kept chipping away and last Saturday was a big day for us.Me and Willie Mullins get on great. We always shake hands and we text from time to time if we want to help each other.Hes a gentleman, hes a brilliant trainer and we have huge respect for each other. Weve always got on great and always will do.Win or lose we have given it our best shot and if Willie Mullins is crowned champion trainer on Saturday I will be the first to shake his hand and say well done.With significant ground to make up, for most trainers the battle would be as good as over with only one day remaining, but the Mullins army is out in force in Esher.The likes of Un De Sceaux, Valseur Lido and Vroum Vroum Mag are all major contenders on a fantastic card, but the trainers son and assistant Patrick is hopeful rather than confident that the Closutton team can wrestle back the advantage.He said: Its a big day and I think the general feeling in the yard at the moment is were up against it.We might have to have four or five winners on the day, which is not impossible but its a tough ask as when you need things like that to happen theres normally one that either gets beat or falls.Paul has two or three in a few of the races, so even if we win them, hes chipping away at us all the time picking up prize-money.You never know, though, and I think well all be heading over there and well see what happens.Its great to be in this position and you never know when it might happen again.It would be fantastic to win it but its the end of the world.Whats interesting is when Vincent OBrien won the English title in the 1950s he wasnt actually champion trainer in Ireland which is a strange piece of information.If it can be done, great, but if Paul manages to retain his title fair play to him. 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Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. NEW YORK -- Sometimes experience as an Olympian can give an announcer special insight -- even the most painful kind.NBCs Kevin Barnett knew what members of the U.S. womens volleyball were feeling Saturday when they had to rebound from a painful loss in the semifinals to play in a bronze medal match two days later. Theres no time to wallow in self-pity. You need to recover energy and focus.Barnett admitted he had a hard time doing that in 2004 as a member of the U.S. mens volleyball team competing in Athens. His team returned home on a two-match losing streak with a fourth-place finish.The American women rallied for coach Karch Kiraly to beat the Netherlands and secure a medal.Karch Kiraly (was) saying, `We love tough, Barnett said. No tougher situation than to lose what was your dream of Olympic gold and to come back and rally for a bronze.BOXING: Similarly, theres no time to waste in three-round Olympic boxing matches, and that occasionally left NBCs B.J. Flores sounding breathless in his call of the gold medal bantamweight fight between Cuban Robeisy Ramirez and American Shakur Stevenson. At first, Flores seemed to be working with more urgency than Stevenson, and he encouraged the 19-year-old American to not to fight defensively because hed lose the chance to score points and become the first male boxer from the United States to win gold since 2004. The fight, won by Ramirez on a split decision, was so close that Flores wisely laid out the facts and resisted a prediction on how the judges would rule.PERFECTION: The U.S. womens basketball team had a game on their hands -- for a quarter. Then they methodically routed Spain for a gold medal, continuing a 49-game winning streak that began with a bronze medal victory in 1992. That left NBCs Marc Zumoff and Ann Meyers Drysdale with time to kill, which theyre accustomed to doing in U.S. games. Itll be interesting to see if they can score 100 points, Drysdale mused with about four minutes to go. A Brianna Steewart three-pointer did the trick to make the final 101-72.dddddddddddd.TRIATHLON: Analyst Julie Swail was adroit with her insights on the womens triathlon, spotting the gamesmanship between American Gwen Jorgensen and Nicola Spirig of Switzerland as they ran together, neither wanting the more taxing task of running in front. Swait correctly predicted when Jorgensen would make a move to put the race out of reach. Colleague Al Trautwig wondered what would happen with two British racers, running side by side in third and fourth place, when the bronze medal was on the line. Theyre teammates, theyre best friends, theyre roommates, Swail said. But when it comes down to the run, its everyone for themselves. Thats exactly what happened.QUOTE: The absolute emotional high point of these Olympic games for Brazil. -NBCs Bob Costas describing the host countrys mens soccer team winning the gold medal in a shootout over Germany.STUNNED INTERVIEW: American runner Paul Chelimo seemed to be expecting a congratulatory interview with NBC Lewis Johnson about winning the silver medal in the 5,000 meter run, and he looked stunned when Johnson informed him hed been disqualified. He watched tape where he bumped into another runner, but Chelimo said it was because his effort to move had been blocked. Chelimo was ultimately reinstated.CLOSING NIGHT: NBC announced that Mike Tirico, Mary Carillo and Ryan Seacrest will host the Rio de Janeiro closing ceremony on Sunday night. Like the opening ceremony, it will be shown on tape delay.RATINGS: NBCs Friday night coverage, featuring dueling relays races between American and Jamaican runners, reached 20 million viewers, the Nielsen company said. With streaming and cable coverage added in, the network reached 21.1 million in the time slot. Viewership for the corresponding night in London 2012 was 22.5 million. ' ' '