The horse racing broadcaster recaps Willie Mullins’ incredible training performance in the Grand National before offering up his Saturday selections.
Perhaps we have got too used to the amazing exploits of a certain W.P. Mullins, but there is no other place to start than what is to my mind the single most amazing training achievement in an individual race since I started following National Hunt racing.
Mullins saddled six of the 34 runners that lined up in last Saturday’s Grand National, only one of whom was in the top eight of the betting, saddling first (33-1), second (7-1), third (33-1), fifth (20-1), seventh (18-1) and the only non-finisher brought down at 28-1.
To cap it all, the winner was ridden by his son and the £860,000 prize money from that single race alone has turned the trainers’ title on its head.
Aintree as a whole served as a reminder that supporting excellence can pay dividends, even if it seems so obvious. Mullins’ overall 2025 Aintree record was 8/30 (Actual/Expected 2.28) and if dealing with Grade 1s alone 5/15 (A/E 1.88), with the National the cherry on the cake to round off an amazing three days for Closutton.
Some wish to impose limits of the number of runners an individual trainer can saddle, but excellence should be rewarded and there was no better example of that than last Saturday’s Grand National.
One other unusual feature of Aintree was the sun shining, and that looks like bringing a somewhat premature end to the National Hunt season after Ayr this weekend, which provides five of the nine live races on ITV. The ground will be very different from 12 months ago at the Scottish track, and the more interesting betting opportunities occur away from the feature race with three horses who ran at the Festival.
SATURDAY SELECTIONS
First up is THE OTHER MOZZIE 13/2 (13:10 Ayr), who drops back to 2m after finishing seventh over 2m4f in the Novices handicap at Cheltenham. He was poorly placed tactically in a race that favoured the front runners, and was also hampered three out. He attracted some support at long odds that day and looks to have the Ayr loving Traprain Law to beat.
WHISTLE STOP TOUR 4/1 (13:43 Ayr) lost his race almost before it had begun at Cheltenham in a race won in devastating fashion by his stablemate Myretown. Whistle Stop Tour was hampered at the first and then made his own error at the second, and never remotely looked like getting involved. He could be a different proposition here and is preferred to Pic Roc, who was another not seen to best effect at the Festival after being one of those inconvenienced by a standing start.
ETHICAL DIAMOND 5/2 (14:15 Ayr) was one of the big Festival eye catchers at Cheltenham scything through the field from an impossible position in the County Hurdle behind Kargese. As long as he settles in this smaller field he looks as if he can add a few more pounds to the Mullins kitty.
The Flat action on ITV comes from Newbury, where there may be some Classic clues in the Fred Darling and the Greenham. There is also a throwback in time as the Spring Cup is being run on the Round Course to allow extra time for the track to recover from some remedial work between the 7f and 8f points on the straight course, which will be kept fresh for the Lockinge next month.
Despite being drawn in Stall 13, COGITATE 17/2 (15:12 Newbury) just sneaked in at the foot of the weights and has a good record fresh. He marked time a bit last season once moving into handicaps but first up could well be the time to catch him as his yard has made their usual solid start to the season. He can give his rivals plenty to think about.
STATS ALL FOLKS
Aidan O’Brien saddles Heavens Gate in the Dubai Duty Free (Fred Darling) and with other likely runners over here in the next few weeks it is worth a reminder that historically it has been worth opposing the early O’Brien UK runners before the Guineas meeting.
Despite often being in good form domestically, the O’Brien numbers in April over the last five years in the UK are 0/19 against an expected number of winners as high as 3.74 after reverses for short-priced favourites Capulet and Chief Little Rock last year. His last horse to win in the UK in April was Cape of Good Hope in the Epsom Classic Trial back in April 2019.
Finally, Mason Paetel caught my eye when calling at a recent AW meeting at Lingfield. He looked very good value for his claim, a fact that will not be lost on several trainers. It is often good for an apprentice’s long-term future if he is a slow burn and last year Mason had just a single success from 28 rides, but this has improved significantly in recent months with five of his last 16 rides winning. Three of those have come for James Owen, and that could prove a very fruitful combination to follow (currently 3/9 A/E 2.70) and they team up with KHANGAI / (18:00 Brighton) on Saturday evening.
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