WILLIE MULLINS has reflected emotionally on an unforgettable Grand National win.
The legendary trainer’s son Patrick was on board Nick Rockett as the horse surged across the finish line to win the iconic race.
Speaking the day after their triumph, Mullins described the moment as ‘off the charts’ before admitting that he was left speechless.
The Co Carlow-based trainer saddled five of the top seven finishers in the race.
Mullins also paid tribute to the late Sadie Andrew, whose wish to own a horse with him after a chance reunion led to the purchase of Nick Rockett.
Sadie passed away from cancer just three months after watching the horse run on debut, but her name remains on the race card.
Speaking a day removed from the sensational triumph, Mullins paid tribute to Sadie as he reflected on his emotions.
Trained by Willie Mullins, racehorse Nick Rockett is still officially owned by Stewart Andrew and his late wife Sadie.
The Kilkenny man said: “Sadie, Stewart’s wife, was in the same class, and he actually sent me a photograph of our first Holy Communion last year.”
“I just happened to meet Sadie at the races one day in Cheltenham, and we sat down, had a cup of tea, and just spoke about our lives since we last met over 60 years ago.
“And coming away from that conversation, she said to Stewart: ‘I want to have a horse with Willie’.
“And they rang me up shortly after that, and we picked out a horse, Nick Rockett, and went on from there.”
“She wanted the horse to run in November, whatever year before he was a four-year-old. Normally, I wouldn’t have those types of horses ready at that stage of the year.
“I said: ‘Okay, we’ll do that for her’, and this was for Stewart’s 60th birthday.
“We got the horse ready, he finished fourth. In the meantime, Sadie, who would be a lovely, healthy woman, had gone in for a regular test and got bad news, and she died within three months.
“Her name is still on the race card as being the owner, we never took it off. And the whole emotion of the whole thing.”
Her husband Stewart, the official owner, has since become close friends with Mullins, even joining the team on a trip to Australia.
He added: “We were making the trip to go to the Melbourne Cup and chatting to Stewart one day on the phone, I just said: ‘Look, come away with us.
“Come on down to Australia for the couple of weeks that we were going,’ and he did.
“He just [got on] fantastic with all my pals, and he came back again this year. So, we’ve become good friends on the back of the whole thing, and he’s a great guy.”