‘You need to be 110% and he’s not’: 2025 Grand National winner ruled out of this year’s race

Defending Randox Grand National champion Nick Rockett has been ruled out of this year’s race owing to coughing, his trainer has confirmed.

Patrick Mullins, son of top Irish trainer Willie, announced today that the nine-year-old had been ruled out of a crack at back-to-back wins.

He said: “It is 72-hour declarations for the Grand National, and we wanted to give him every chance, but he gave a few coughs this morning and that made up our mind with him.

“It is frustrating, but it was a case of everything needed to go right to get him here and, unfortunately, we just didn’t get everything go right. He could have run, but we didn’t want to do that if he wasn’t 110 per cent.”

Patrick rode Nick Rockett to top a one-two-three for his father in the 2025 Grand National. He decided yesterday (8 April) to ride Grangeclare West, who came third last year, on Saturday and Tom Bellamy had been due to take Nick Rockett’s reins until the call was made.

“You need to be 110 per cent to run in a race like the Grand National and, unfortunately, he is not at the moment,” Patrick said. “We will look at Punchestown now.”

Nick Rockett’s place in the Grand National will be taken by first reserve Pied Piper, for fellow Irish trainer Gordon Elliott and owners R Nolan and M Roden.

Last year’s runner-up and 2024 winner I Am Maximus leads the declarations for Saturday’s race, also for Willie Mullins.

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