Nick Rockett gave the Mullins family a day to remember when winning the 2025 Randox Grand National at Aintree under Patrick Mullins for his father, trainer Willie Mullins.
The 33/1 shot sat in a handy position throughout the race and a great jump at the last fence left him in front. He battled to the line alongside last year’s winner I Am Maximus, eventually beating him into second by two-and-a-half lengths.
“Incredible – it was just perfect. It’s everything I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid,” said an elated Patrick, who rides as an amateur. “It’s a cliché, but when I was five or six years old, I remember reading books about the National and watching black and white videos of Red Rum and the like. So to put my name there is incredibly special.
“He’s just a brilliant horse; he’s not very big, he would be one of the smallest in the field. He’s 50 or 60 kilos lighter than the rest of our National horses today, but he’s as brave as a lion.”
Willie Mullins was responsible for five of the first seven home and has become the first trainer to have the first three in the race.
“This is the summit for me – I don’t think anything can be better than this. I never thought it would happen, and here we are,” said Willie, who was overcome with emotion.
“To put your son up on a Grand National winner – what a special day for him, as a jockey and as a person. To win a Grand National as a trainer – wow, how wonderful. To have the two combined – I can’t explain it. I can’t comprehend it and I find it hard to take.”
Nick Rockett is an eight-year-old son of Walk In The Park, owned by Stewart Andrew and his late wife Sadie.
“This is a class horse and he’s got the heart of a lion,” commented Stewart. “I can’t tell you what it’s like from a personal point of view. Sadie would have loved today. She’s up there and she’ll have had a tenner each-way I can guarantee.
“Patrick – what a ride, what a ride. I knew if we got to the front jumping the last he’s tough. If you look at his form, when he jumps the last he keeps going and keeps finding and finding.”
Paul Townend, who was second aboard top weight I Am Maximus, owned by JP McManus, said: “No excuses really. He’s run a huge race again. He took me through the race better last year, probably. I’m just sickened to be beat!”
Brian Hayes was third on Grangeclare West, who is owned by Cheveley Park Stud.
“He did everything right – settled, jumped, travelled into the race quite easy,” said Brian. “He stayed going all the way to the line really well. He just got into the bottom of the last, which maybe cost him second.”
Iroko, the leading British contender trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, went off 13/2 favourite and finished fourth ahead of Meetingofthewaters in fifth.
“We know how hard it is to get a horse into this shape and it was a great run,” said Oliver Greenall. “He jumped really well, he just got a bit outpaced. I think softer ground would have helped him a bit, but I can’t complain.”
A total of 34 horses started, 16 finished, one jockey was unseated, 13 pulled up, two fell and one was brought down.
Broadway Boy, who fell, and Celebre D’Allen, who was pulled up, both received expert veterinary care on course before walking onto a horse ambulance and were taken back to the racecourse stables for further assessment.
Broadway Boy’s jockey Tom Bellamy went to hospital and has a broken wrist. It is reported that all other horses and jockeys are ok.
Update on injured Grand National horses: Tuesday 8 April
Broadway Boy has returned to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ yard after spending Saturday night at Aintree being cared for by vets and his groom Laura Scrivener.
Celebre D’Allen also spent the night on course receiving additional care and showed some improvement. He was then moved to a nearby stud connected to the horse’s owners on Sunday, but on Monday night his condition deteriorated.
Philip Hobbs Racing said: “We’re heartbroken to share that Celebre D’Allen has passed away. He received the very best treatment by the veterinary teams and was improving. However, he deteriorated significantly last night and could not be saved. He was a wonderful horse and we will all miss him greatly.”
Read the full report from the Grand National in the 11 April issue of the magazine
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