Nick Rockett

Nick Rockett, foaled in 2017, would jump right into the limelight with a Grand National win in 2025. Trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, he wasn’t really seen as a stable star before the Grand National win, but after that, plenty of people now know the horse.

His success at Aintree would see him stay on strongly to keep the previous year’s winner I Am Maximus at bay, also from the Mullins stable. His success was part of an excellent day for Team Mullins.

It was also back-to-back wins for Mullins, after success in 2024, showing his dominance in racing at the moment.

Nick Rockett’s Early Years

Nick Rockett made a quick impression on us as a young horse, and while he didn’t do this at a high level, he was winning races instantly. He would win a point-to-point contest before moving to rules racing.

He would run twice in bumpers, winning the second of those starts, before moving on to hurdling. He would run twice over hurdles and win both outings, including a Grade Two success, but it was fences where his future would lie. a good jumper, he was always going to be better over the bigger obstacles.

Going novice chasing, he would only win one of his five starts in his first year over the bigger obstacles, but that doesn’t tell the full story. He won a novice race but was highly tried after, running in a Grade Two and then two big handicaps, including the Irish Grand National.

While he didn’t get close there, coming 7^th, the fact that Willie Mullins was happy to put him in such a race, with the test it involves, during his novice season, shows the faith he had that this horse was a top quality animal, could jump well and could definitely stay the longer trips.

2025 Aintree Grand National Winner

In the build-up to the 2025 Grand National, Nick Rockett was in great form, and he won his two starts before going to Aintree.

The first of those was a big handicap win at the start of 2025. He would win the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park, a staying chase that’s always competitive and takes a well handicapped runner to win it. He won by just over two lengths, stayed strongly and jumped very well throughout.

After that, he would go to the Bobbyjo Chase, a race that many Irish trainers have used as the perfect stepping stone to the Grand National. It’s a Grade Three race, but often much better than that with the runners that take part, this year was no different.

That all set him up perfectly for Aintree, but despite that, he was overlooked in the betting market. Returning with an SP of 33/1, Nick Rockett was actually the joint outsider of all the Mullins runners in the race, with 2024 winner I Am Maximus the shortest in the betting and also the choice of stable jockey Paul Townend.

It looked as though Townend and I Am Maximus were coming to win the race before Patrick Mullins delivered Nick Rockett and stayed up the hill strongly to win the race. They would take the lead at the final fence and then keep clear, winning by two and a half lengths.

Family Victory for Team Mullins

There was plenty to cheer about for the team from Closutton in 2025. It was a family affair, father Willie doing the training and son Patrick doing the riding. As an amateur jockey, Patrick has been connected to horses trained by his father throughout his career, and this was another success for them.

The race showed the dominance the Mullins has over the sport in two ways. Firstly, he was winning the Grand National in back-to-back years, while overall this was his third win.

But then, looking at the 2025 race in particular, Nick Rockett led home a 1-2-3 for Team Mullins, he also trained I Am Maximus, who finished second, and Grangeclare West, who finished third.

It’s great to watch Willie Mullins at the moment, a man in the absolute peak of his time as a trainer, while this one also added success for his son, Patrick’s first Grand National win.

Full Results