Trainer Willie Mullins opened up his famous Closutton yard in County Carlow today for the annual Randox Grand National winner stable visit.

Patrick and Willie Mullins with 2025 Randox Grand National winner (centre) plus second and 2024 winner I Am Maximus (right) and third Grangeclere West (left)

The now 69-year-old won the world’s greatest chase for a third time back in April when Nick Rockett, partnered by his son Patrick, came home two and a half lengths clear of 2024 scorer I Am Maximus with another half length back to Grangeclere West in third. The first three horses were all trained by Mullins who remarkably for responsible for five of the first seven horses home.

Speaking at today’s event, Mullins reflected: “I was looking at Patrick the whole way through and thinking this could happen. I was also thinking of my mother and father who were not there to see it – the people you would want to see it.

“The next thing I was looking at the other five or six horses in the race and then looking back to Patrick who was still cantering.

“But you never think it’s going to happen because so many things can happen it the National. Patrick was on one of Rich Ricci’s horses (Burrows Saint) a few years ago who was cantering at the second last but just didn’t stay and emptied out underneath him. So, last year I was waiting for something to fall in front of him or for him to make a mistake.

“I kept looking back to Patrick and thinking it’s still on, it’s still on. Then coming round the elbow….I was in JP’s box (MMcManus, owner of runner-up I Am Maximus) - I beat JP but didn’t even apologise! I was just so taken in with the whole thing.

“I was thinking it through as it was happening. I would say it’s the biggest thrill that I ever got in racing. We’d had our first Cheltenham winner then our first Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup but I’d say last year’s National superseded those.

“I hadn’t realised we had five of the first seven coming to the last as I was watching Patrick. I knew we might have something else involved but to saddle five of the first seven horses home was huge.

“We had a lovely team going this year, and I was hoping one of them would put up a show, but with the National, you can never really have any expectations. So, it was a total surprise coming in that people told me we’d had five of the first seven.”

Nick Rockett with his stablehand Katie Walton.

The success of both I Am Maximus in 2024 and Nick Rockett last year have played a huge role in the trainer being crowned champion British Jump trainer for the past two seasons – a feat not achieved by an Irish-based trainer since the legendary Vincent O’Brien 70 years earlier.

Mullins continued: “We are just pinching ourselves over the last years with two UK trainers’ championships and two Grand Nationals. We find it as extraordinary as anyone else.”

Looking to the season ahead with Nick Rockett, Mullins said: “We haven’t decided what we are doing with Nick Rockett yet but have been thinking about it over the past couple of weeks.

“The more I think about it, I think’s a good idea to be heading back to Aintree with him. He really showed he can handle the track and won’t have much more weight.

“His owner Stewart Andrew has been discussing with me about a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup entry. When I look at the Gold Cup horses that are around, it might be that he has as good a chance in the Grand National, so we could go back and try it again which would be pretty unique.

“I would stay he’s still open to more improvement and I’d imagine that before Aintree we’d be looking at Leopardstown, Gowran and Fairyhouse again with maybe a run beforehand.

“I’d imagine I Am Maximus would also go back as JP (McManus) is very fond of the Grand National and he has a couple of Gold Cup horses already. Grangeclere West (third in 2025) could also go back – once horses have been around Aintree and shown aptitude for it makes sense to go back. The weights are much tighter nowadays and it’s a different sort of race.

“I think you ideally need a horse on the way up in the Grand National nowadays and I am hoping horse like Spanish Harlem (owned by Randox founder Dr Peter FitzGerald) might just fit that category. He just seems to have come right. He’s been with me two years and it’s the first time I’ve really been happy with him, and he’s won a Kerry National now.

“To win three consecutive Grand Nationals would be huge. I am just trying to get them there and then you need all the luck.

“The whole Aintree Festival has grown into a huge week for us. We used to not target it particularly, but we are targeting it more now and had beano there for the past two years.

“Aintree has grown to become such a big festival, both prize money-wise and kudos-wise. It is a credit to the Aintree team and the sponsors.”