Willie Mullins has set his sights on clinching the British jumps trainers’ championship by expanding his horizons to attend race meetings wherever they may be held. This determination follows his remarkable accomplishment of securing a 1-2-3 finish at the prestigious Randox Grand National last Saturday.
The victory of I Am Maximus in the renowned Aintree race a year ago propelled Mullins, a multiple Irish champion trainer, to his first British title, surpassing Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls. Despite his success with ten winners at the Cheltenham Festival, Mullins found himself trailing Skelton by £1.2 million at the Grand National Festival, where the championship standings are determined by prize money.
Demonstrating his dominance, the 69-year-old trainer triumphed by winning four Grade 1 races on the opening day, followed by two victories on Friday, culminating in his third Grand National win with Nick Rockett, ridden by his son Patrick. Impressively, four of his other five runners in the race also finished in prize-winning positions.
Mullins now faces a race against time until the end of the jumps season on April 26 at Sandown to surpass Skelton in the championship race. He will resume his quest at Ayr next weekend, competing in the Scottish Grand National. Bookmakers place Mullins as the favorite at 8-11 to claim the title, with Skelton rated as an even money contender.
Expressing his determination, Mullins stated, “We have to challenge, like we did last year. We needed to secure a substantial amount from the National, and with the gap of £120,000, we have to continue competing in races across various locations until Sandown.”
Following Nick Rockett’s victory, Mullins emotionally described it as his greatest achievement, especially with his son riding the winning horse. He likened the experience to a manager of a World Cup team witnessing his son score the winning goal, emphasizing the significance of the moment in their racing world.
In a heartwarming moment, Mullins reflected, “To me, that was a lifetime achievement. Legging up my son on a Grand National winner is an unparalleled feeling in our racing world.”