The trainer started the Aintree meeting £1.2 million adrift of Dan Skelton but closed the gap to £120,000 after an unprecedented result in the Grand National
Willie Mullins pledged to go ‘wherever there’s a race meeting’ in pursuit of the British jumps trainers’ championship after claiming an unprecedented 1-2-3 finish in the Randox Grand National on Saturday.
I Am Maximus’s victory in the world famous race at Aintree 12 months ago propelled the multiple Irish champion trainer to his first British title from Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls. Despite saddling ten winners at the Cheltenham Festival, he went into the three day Grand National Festival £1.2 million adrift of long time leader Skelton in a contest decided by prize-money.
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Yet in another show of strength the 69-year-old won four Grade 1 races on the first day, then saddled two winners on Friday before claiming his third Grand National success with Nick Rockett, ridden by his son Patrick.
Four of his other five runners in the race also finished in the money as I Am Maximus filled second place, Grangeclare West third, Meetingofthewaters fifth and Minella Cocooner seventh.
Mullins has until the jumps season ends on April 26 at Sandown to try to overtake Skelton, a challenge which he will pick up again at Ayr next weekend when he will have runners in the Scottish Grand National.
He is 8-11 to claim the title, with bookmakers William Hill who rate Skelton an even money chance.
“I imagine we have to challenge, like we did last year,” said Mullins on Saturday. “Once we didn’t win the first two races yesterday, I thought that was our challenge over.
“We needed to get a good chunk of money out of the National which we did. They tell me we are £120,000 behind.
“At that sort of figure we have to go, so we’ll see you in Ayr, we’ll see you in Perth, we’ll see you in Carlisle, wherever there’s a race meeting between now and Sandown.”
Mullins, who broke down in tears after watching Nick Rockett triumph, said the victory was his greatest accomplishment.
He said: “With my son riding the winner I just lost it completely. Coming off the stand I didn’t know what finished third, fourth or fifth. People told me afterwards we were first, second, third.
“Being the lucky guy that can leg your son up on a Grand National winner must be like being the manager of a World Cup team and having your son score the winning goal.
“In our world of racing, I don’t think we can do any better than that. To me that was a lifetime achievement.”