'He jumps around Fairyhouse so well' - Willie Mullins hoping for Irish Grand National lift-off with Nick Rockett

Willie Mullins resisted the temptation of sending Nick Rockett to Cheltenham last week in order to keep him fresh for the Irish Grand National and the record-breaking champion trainer feels the unexposed novice has every chance of providing him with a third success in Ireland's richest jumps race. 

The weights for the Easter Monday marathon were unveiled on Monday and Nick Rockett was allocated 10st 13lb with a mark of 146. Mullins expects last year's winning jockey Paul Townend to ride and sponsors BoyleSports have installed him as their 8-1 co-favourite alongside the JP McManus-owned pair Corbetts Cross and Perceval Legallois. 

Mullins said: "It took us a long time to win the Irish National and winning it with Burrows Saint [in 2019] gave me as much pleasure as any race I've ever won.

"Nick Rockett has performed really well around Fairyhouse a few times – he jumps around there so well – and I love horses for courses. Paul was very happy the day he won there [on New Year's Day] and we thought that instead of going to Cheltenham we should aim for the Irish National instead.

"That's what we have been doing and we are very happy with how he is. He's a novice coming up the ranks, has a nice weight and Paul is very happy to ride him."

Mullins is likely to be well represented in the race and there are three others, in particular, he has his eye on. 

He said: "Bronn was disappointing when pulled up at Naas last time but if I could get him back right he could go there. Minella Cocooner has the credentials– he stays all day and has a nice weight [11st 1lb] as well, so he might run. Ontheropes is 36th on the list, but I think he is more or less in and is our other likely runner."

Peter Roe, manager at Fairyhouse, revealed that ticket sales for all three days of the Easter festival have been strong.

He said: "We're delighted with the quality of entries and that combined with three of them scoring at last week’s Cheltenham festival shows the standing of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National. Ticket sales are going really well for all three days."

Mullins did not rule out impressive Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior lining up on Easter Sunday in the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup, a race Galopin Des Champs won in 2022, but he does have Blood Destiny pencilled in for the race. 

Mullins said: "We did it two years ago, we brought a horse back from Cheltenham to win this, so it can be done. I’ll see how Gaelic Warrior is. He has a huge amount of ability. Ted Walsh always said a good Gold Cup winner could win a Champion Chase, as that is how you separate the ordinary Gold Cup winners from the very good ones, and this fellow has that type of ability I think."

Irish Grand National (April 1, Fairyhouse)
BoyleSports: 8 Corbetts Cross, Nick Rockett, Perceval Legallois, 10 Inothewayurthinkin, Intense Raffles, 12 Limerick Lace, Mr Incredible, 14 Desertmore House, Embassy Gardens, Good Time Jonny, Hartur D'Arc, Yeah Man, 16 Adamantly Chosen, Amirite, Angels Dawn, Velvet Elvis, 20 bar. 

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