Nick Rockett won the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday to cap a remarkable day for the Mullins family with father Willie training five of the first seven horses home and his son Patrick on board the 33-1 winner of the world’s most famous steeplechase.
Willie Mullins has taken the art of training racehorses to another level but even he was overwhelmed by his achievement which evoked memories of Michael Dickinson training the first five home in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Fighting back the tears the Irish training phenomenon said: “It was some result. It is lovely to be able to give your son a ride in the National, but to be able to win it is just unbelievable.”
Patrick Mullins, an amateur jockey in name only such is his ability, is also making a name for himself as an astute observer as a writer of the sport of kings.
But he too was almost lost for words after denying last year’s winner, trained by his dad, I Am Maximus by two and a half lengths.
“I’m too out of breath to say anything. It is incredible,” he said.
“I got too good a start and had to take him back all the way but he jumped fantastic.
“It a dream from when I was a kid. When I was a kid I watched videos so this is very special. He [Nick Rockett] is fine - I need a cold bath myself. He’s not big but he is brave as a lion.”
There was a heart-warming story attached to owner Stewart Andrew as Nick Rockett was the last horse his wife Sadie watched win five days before she died in 2022.
The third horse across the line in this sun-kissed renewal of the race first staged in 1839 was Grangeclare West (33-1), also trained by Mullins.
The 13-2 favourite Iroko muscled in the Mullins’ monopoly to take fourth, ahead of MeetingoftheWaters (Mullins), Senior Chief and Minella Cocooner,
You can find out where your horse finished with our results in full.
05:54 PM BST
Willie Mullins speaking to BBC radio about Patrick
Patrick comes in every morning and runs the whole show. He matches all the horses and the riders every morning and I might come up and change one or two things but Patrick could take over. It just comes natural to him. He’s very precise and concise about things. He knows what to do and when to do it. I am absolutely delighted for him.
05:49 PM BST
Result
- Green Splendour 10/3 (Fav)
- Destination Dubai 10/1
- Koktail Brut 11/2
- Swingin Safari 33/1
05:48 PM BST
Green Splendour wins the Bumper!
What a couple of hours for the Mullins team. He was travelling well the whole way around with Paddy barely having to move a muscle. He bided his time and took Green Splendour off the bridle at just the right time to see off the game run of Destination Dubai.
05:43 PM BST
They’re off in the lucky last!
Will this be another winner for Willie and Paddy Mullins with Green Splendour?
05:36 PM BST
The last race of the day is a bumper
A flat race for National Hunt horses. This one looks wide open, but Willie Mullins does tend to thrive in these contests (which hardly narrows things down). The Mullins fancy here is Green Splendour.
