Willie Mullins rarely shows much emotion but the dam cracked after his son Patrick steered little Nick Rockett to Aintree glory
Willie Mullins has long been a walking embodiment of Rudyard Kipling’s If: someone with the preternatural ability to treat whatever the twin impostors of triumph and disaster lob at him with a shrug, a smile and an impeccably judged word.
But everyone has a breaking point. For the legendary Irish trainer it came when little Nick Rockett, an unfancied 33-1 shot, emerged from the pack to take a 177th Grand National here that fizzed with drama and extraordinary storylines.
Written by Sean Ingle at Aintree
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/05/nick-rockett-grand-national-willie-mullins under the title “Nick Rockett’s National success brings tears and smiles for father-son duo | Sean Ingle”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
