Inside Track: Mullins stable adding millions to its winnings

There was a mention here the week before last about jockey Patrick Mullins’ attempt to ride a winner at every National Hunt course in England. By then he’d been successful at 17 courses, putting himself well on target to record what would be a rare achievement.

This was just five days before the Aintree Grand National. Had anyone the story in mind when they went to have a bet on the big race? I hadn’t, but I hope there those who did.

And if they had, they might just have put Mullins’ mount, Nick Rockett, down on their docket. The return would have been good - €33 for every one euro wagered.

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Giving his mount a superb ride to win by two-and-a-half lengths from stable companion, I Am Maximus – who was attempting to win for the second year running – Mullins added yet another chapter to what is already to a magnificent career story.

He must be nearly fed up winning the Irish amateur title for most winners; has the all-time record for the same a long time in his locker, and if he ever decides to put his career exploits down on paper, he won’t have any need for a ghost-writer.

As well as been good in the saddle, he has no need for head-scratching when he sits down in front of a computer. Among his many prizes is one for being better able than others to put words together. He’s been a sports journalist of the year.

He wasn’t the only Mullins to bask in Aintree glory last Saturday week. His dad, Willie, another record-breaker, was the one to put Nick Rockett through his paces in preparation for the race, and now stands within an ace of an achievement which the British thought was there for one of their own to claim.

Dan Skelton was many thousands of quids clear in the race to become British trainer of the year, unbackable with the bookies. The picture has changed dramatically.

Winning seven other prizes at Aintree’s three-day meeting to go with the half-million-plus his runners won in the National, Willie Mullins is now favourite to take the title for the second year running.

That National money was accumulated by not only the winner, but also the runner-up, third and fifth, this trio also having a base at Mullins’ Co Carlow base.

The trainer is planning to throw more than a handful of runners at the big races yet to be decided in an effort to pass Skelton.

On Saturday Mullins did himself a huge favour by sending out the winner of the Scottish Grand National, Captain Cody. What a treble it would be if he were to train the winner of next Monday’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

If the British establishment was doing a wobbly after Cheltenham – at which Mullins sent out a record-equalling ten winners – it’s now reeling. The trainers who were once leading the home challenge are now reduced to bit-players.

Never before has there been such dominance of the British scene by an Irishman, not even back when the great Vincent O’Brien was plundering many of the big prizes cross-Channel.

O’Brien switched codes after turning out three Aintree Grand National winners in succession, in the mid-1950s, and was even more successful on the Flat.

His namesake, but unrelated Aidan O’Brien is making an even bigger impression over the summer months and well into the autumn, and is expected to again be the dominant figure this year, here and across the water.

This country has a couple of flags to wave when it comes to racing, relegating the Union Jack to second.