Taurus Grand National Horses

Nick Rockett came out on top in last year’s Grand National, leading home a 1-2-3 for master trainer Willie Mullins.

To make the race even sweeter for Mullins, the winner was ridden by his son, Patrick, as they became only the third father and son combination to win the Grand National.

Mullins reported earlier in the season that the nine-year-old gelding has encountered some issues that looked like it might stop him from returning to Aintree but the situation has improved and Nick Rockett finally made his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal on the 17th of March. The nine-year-old's jumping looked a little rusty at Down Royal and he was eventually beaten seven lengths into third by a possible Grand National adversary in Gerri Colombe. 

Despite winning the Grand National Nick Rockett had to run in the Down Royal race to qualify to run at Aintree as a rule change insists that all Grand National runners must have raced at least once that season. Some bookmakers were not too impressed with Nick Rockett's return to the track and generally increased his price in the ante-post market. 

With a gap of just over three weeks to Aintree from his reappearance, Nick Rockett appears to face an uphill struggle to retain his Grand National crown.

Grangeclare West ran a brilliant race last year in the Grand National, finishing third beaten three lengths. Connections can wonder what might have been as the son of Presenting was challenging at the last when a bad mistake halted his momentum. Jockey Brian Hayes quickly got his mount balanced again and then the gelding ran on powerfully, finding just stablemates Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus too good on the day.

This year he comes to the National on the back of a win where he was the easy winner of the best Irish trial for Aintree, the Bobbyjo and with trainer Mullins stating that Grangeclare West has been impressing him in his work at home. 

The booking of Patrick Mullins to ride this horse was something of a surprise given that he was expected to continue his association with last year's winner, Nick Rockett but that horse has subsequently become a non-runner. Nevertheless, news from the stable is that Willie was very keen for Patrick to ride this horse with a view to repeating their famous father/son double of last year. 

Stable confidence definitely seems to be behind Grangeclare West and he can take the National for the third year running for the Mullins' yard.