The pinnacle for Mullins
He’s done it all but Willie Mullins said winning the Grand National with his son tops the lot.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” he told ITV. “To sire the winning rider, to train the winner and to have Jackie here. We planned this with [owner] Stewart Andrew over $10 bottles of wine in Australia and missed our restaurant booking.
“Anyhow, all great plans come together. I went to school with Sadie years ago. I met her years later at the sales and we went for a cup of tea. I said I’d buy a horse for her and here we are.”
Update from the track
The Maghull Novices’ Chase has been delayed as Broadway Boy gets treatment out on the track.
A Jockey Club spokesperson said: “Broadway Boy is still being assessed on course. Celebre D’Allen walked on to the horse ambulance and has gone back to the stables for further assessment.
“Tom Bellamy has been taken to Aintree University hospital for further assessment. All other jockeys walked back to the weighing room.”
Beaten riders have their say
Paul Townend on runner-up I Am Maxiums said: “He ran a huge race. He probably took me through the race a bit better last year but he ran with a credit again. It’s a big result for the team but a bit sickening to be beat.”
Brian Hayes on Grangeclare West: “He jumped for fun and ran the race of his life. He winged the fences down the back but just got a bit deep into the last.”
Jonjo O’Neill on Iroko: “I’m very happy with him. He just found everything very fast early on and was bit on his head. He could have done with the ground being a bit slower. We look forward to coming back with him again.”
Cracking tips: Harry Wilson’s fancy for Maghull
5.00 Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1), 2m
Harry’s tip: L’Eau Du Sud
I fancied L’Eau Du Sud for the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival and he found himself in front two fences from home, but he was beaten by stronger stayers at the trip. Only By Night finished three-quarters of a length in front of him that day and reopposes, but she was suited by coming off the pace in a race that was run to suit and she could find it hard to keep up with the quick and nimble jumping of L’Eau Du Sud at this flatter track. If Cheltenham hasn’t left his mark, he’ll be very hard to beat.
Mullins odds-on for title
Willie Mullins is 4-6 favourite with Coral to retain the GB trainers’ championship he won for a first time last season, after his runners filled the first three places in the Grand National. Dan Skelton is 11-10 second favourite to land his first title.
“Having sent out the first three home, plus the fifth horse, in the £1 million Grand National, things could hardly have gone any better for Willie Mullins, and his prize-money haul in the Aintree showpiece has put him in pole position to win back-to-back titles,” said Coral’s David Stevens.
”He’s sure to be well represented in Ayr’s feature Coral Scottish Grand National next weekend, when another £200,000 will be up for grabs.”
Title race back on
The race to be champion trainer in Britain has just been turned on its head with Willie Mullins going from over £1 million behind Dan Skelton at the start of the day to just £137,429 behind the title leader after cleaning up in the National.
Title race at the start of day
Dan Skelton £3,027,625
Willie Mullins £2,016,116
Gap: £1,011,509
After the National: Dan Skelton £3,030,780, Willie Mullins £2,893,351, Gap: £137,429
‘This was my wife’s horse’
Owner Stewart Andrew reflects on a fairytale Grand National success:
“This was my wife’s horse and she’s the one who wanted a horse with Willie Mullins. Willie is unbelievable and told us we’re going to win the Thyestes, the Bobbyjo and then have a crack at Aintree. What can you say? Willie is a gentleman.”
First seven home . . .
1 Nick Rockett
2 I Am Maximus
3 Grangeclare West
4 Iroko
5 Meetingofthewaters
6 Senior Chief
7 Minella Cocooner
That’s five of the first seven for Willie Mullins who was so emotional giving his son a Grand National winner that he could hardly get a word out on TV.
He is the first trainer to have the first three in the Grand National. Only two trainers had had the first two previously – Fred Withington (1908) and Henry de Bromhead (2021).
Broadway Boy and Celebre D’Allen are being assessed on the course by the vets after their falls.
Check the full finishing positions here
‘Everything I’ve dreamed of’
Patrick Mullins becomes the latest amateur rider to win the Grand National, joining the likes of Sam Waley-Cohen and Marcus Armytage.
The winning rider said: “It’s just incredible. He jumped fantastic and I was there way too soon. It was a long way from the back of the last but this is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid. It sounds a cliche but when I was five or six I was reading books about the National and watching videos of the likes of Red Rum, and to put my name amongst them is incredible.
“He’s just a brilliant horse. He’s not very big and one of the smallest in the field but he’s a great ride. I jumped the last really well and half thought about sitting back up but thought, I can’t. Once we got to the Elbow I picked my stick up and away he went. It’s just very special.”
Nick Rockett wins the Grand National
by RacingPost
