Tearful trainer Mullins gets the 1-2-3 in Grand National

Irishman’s epic feat marred by 18 horses not finishing race

- SAM TURNER

Look up "Dominance" in any English dictionary these days and the name WP Mullins could well be found.

The phenomenon of modern-day National Hunt racing continues to rewrite the record books courtesy of an emotional victory for Nick Rockett – with his son, amateur rider Patrick aboard – in the 2025 Grand National, sending a meteoric training career stratospheric.

Not content with simply training the winner of the world’s biggest horse race, Mullins despatched the 1-2-3, with last year’s hero I Am Maximus carried out on his shield in second under Paul Townend two-and-a-half lengths behind, while another inmate from the Closutton stables, Grangeclare West, third for rider Bryan Hayes a further half-length adrift.

To reinforce the Closutton dominance Meetingofthewaters claimed fifth, while Minella Cocooner was seventh, meaning that only Appreciate It, who was unfortunate to be brought down by Kandoo Kid on the second circuit, finished out of the first seven from the six runners saddled by Mullins.

In a 34-runner race with 30 fences over four-and-a-quarter miles, it represented an incredible achievement, even for a man who sent out the 1-2-3-4-5 in a Grade 1 event at Cheltenham last year. It also took his week’s tally at Aintree to eight winners.

The feat wasn’t lost on an ecstatic winning rider. “Willie getting me to win a National is his greatest achievement,” cackled Patrick Mullins as the realisation of his triumph began to sink in.