Legendary horse racing trainer Willie Mullins broke down in tears after watching his son ride Nick Rockett to an emotional Grand National triumph at Aintree.
Amateur jockey Patrick Mullins and his 33-1 shot proved too strong for defending champion I Am Maximus and won by two-and-a-half-lengths.
Incredibly, the result meant that Patrick’s father secured a clean sweep of the podium spots in the iconic steeplechase, while another of his horses also finished fifth.
Shortly after the dramatic showpiece, an emotional Mullins delivered a live interview with ITV but was barely able to muster his words before he choked up.
‘That was some result,’ said Mullins, 68.
But he then appeared to choke up while on camera, leading presenter Matt Chapman to place his arm around him and tell him to ‘take a moment’.
Chapman quickly decided to end the interview early, allowing Mullins more time to compose himself after his stunning achievement.
Mullins later returned and saluted his son’s victory, which came against the odds.
‘This is the summit for me,’ he said. ‘I don’t think anything can be better than this. I never thought it would happen, and here we are.
‘It looks like the British championship might be on again. I think we’ll have to have a real go now. 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.
‘To have the two combined – I can’t explain it. I can’t comprehend it.’
Nick Rockett is officially owned by Stewart and Sadie Andrew, but only the former was present at Aintree after his wife passed away in December 2022.
Mullins was able to get the horse fighting fit for his debut that same month, just five days before Sadie tragically lost her battle with cancer.
Speaking to ITV, Stewart said: ‘Out of such sadness, joy has been born.
‘Nick Rockett has done it all for me.’
He added: ‘Sadie would have loved today – she was up there, she’ll have had a tenner each-way, I guarantee you. What a ride from Patrick, what a ride.
‘I knew if we got to the front jumping the last, this horse is tough. If you look at this form, when he’s jumped the last, he keeps finding.
‘I can’t believe it.’
Patrick Mullins, 35, admitted he had achieved his childhood dream by winning the Grand National. He said: ‘It’s just incredible.
‘He jumped fantastic and I was there way too soon. It was a long way from the back of the last but this is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.
‘It sounds a cliche but when I was five I was reading books about the National and watching videos of the likes of Red Rum. To put my name amongst them is incredible.
‘He just a brilliant horse. He’s not very big but he’s a great ride.’
