Willie Mullins was overflowing with emotion after his son, Patrick, rode Grand National winner Nick Rockett on Saturday. The 33-1 shot held off the challenge of last year’s winner, I Am Maximus, to clinch a stunning victory on a sunny day at Aintree.
Mullins, who also trained the runner-up and third-place finisher Grangeclare West, was visibly emotional up in the stands after watching his son’s first Grand National triumph. And he struggled to keep it together in a tear-jerking post-race interview with ITV.
The 68-year-old was already taking deep breaths and trying to compose himself when Matt Chapman asked him to sum up the race. All he could say back, before another sharp inhale, was: “It was some result, yeah.”
Chapman told Mullins he must be pinching himself, despite all he has achieved in the sport. He responded in a shaky voice: “Yeah, to be able to let your son…” Mullins tipped his hat to the camera to hide his face and was told to ‘take a moment’, as Chapman put his arm over his shoulder.
The tears continued as Mullins said: “It’s lovely to be able to give your son a ride in the National, but to be able to win it is just unbelievable.” The interview was then cut short by Chapman as Mullins made his way out of the paddock.
Winning jockey Patrick Mullins was beaming from ear to ear as he told ITV: “I’m too out of breath to say anything. It is incredible. I got too good a start and had to take him back all the way but he jumped fantastic.
“It is a dream from when I was a kid. It’s so cliche but when I was a kid I watched videos so this is very special. He’s fine – I need a cold bath myself. He’s not big but he is brave as a lion.”
And the winning horse’s owner, Stewart Andrew, was gushing as he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I can’t tell you. Different class. Everybody had written the horse off, he’d drifted in the betting. He won the best two trials in Ireland easily. He’s a class horse.”
It has been an incredible few weeks for the Mullins family, as trainer Willie also cleaned up at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, where he equalled his own record by saddling 10 winners in the annual meeting.