+ Log in to read full article

The top amateur rider shares his thoughts

Patrick Mullins on Nick Rockett, I Am Maximus and bumper winner Kaiser Ball

By Sporting Life

Sporting Life Plus

Mon February 24, 2025 · 1M ago

Patrick Mullins feels Nick Rockett has put himself squarely in the mix for the Randox Grand National after his weekend win at Fairyhouse.

Walk In The Park gelding Nick Rockett finished seventh in the Irish Grand National and third in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last year, and has seemingly stepped up a level this time around.

The eight-year-old was fourth in the hotly-contested Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on his seasonal return before winning the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase, while on Saturday he followed up that Gowran Park success with a three-quarter-length defeat of Intense Raffles back at Fairyhouse in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase.

The Bobbyjo has proved to be a significant Aintree pointer in recent seasons, 2024 winner I Am Maximus going on to win the Grand National in early-April, and Mullins – son and assistant to champion trainer Willie – feels Nick Rockett remains on an upward curve ahead of the world's most famous steeplechase on April 5.

He told Sporting Life: “Nick Rockett is definitely improving and to get the win was fantastic but just to get another run under his belt for the National, that was the main objective. To win as he did was an added bonus.

“We just think for the Grand National you need miles in the legs so that’s why we got him out again, he had 30 days to recover (from Gowran), but I think one of the great advantages with this race was that it was quite slowly run.

“It turned into a bit of a sprint and the ground on the chase track at Fairyhouse wasn’t too bad - they were hitting speeds of over 35mph heading down to the last - so from that point of view they didn’t have hard races, even though it was a tight finish.

“Look, he was getting 3lb off (runner-up) Intense Raffles and he’ll be giving him weight (12lb) in Aintree so he’s going to be worse off, but it’ll be a different type of race. Like I said, they hacked around and sprinted, and I think everyone went home happy.

“The connections of the second were delighted with their horse as well, but you couldn’t be happier with Nick Rockett’s preparation for the Grand National.”

I Am Maximus was a non-runner in this year’s Bobbyjo due to a 'non respiratory infection', but Mullins is confident that it’s only a minor setback which shouldn't affect his agenda too severely.

He said: “We’re happy with him, I don’t think it’s going to keep him out of action very long.

"Whether we can get another run into him, we’ll have to see, but I’d imagine we’d like to. We don’t see him being a doubt for Aintree, we hope to get him back riding during the week and see whether we can find another race for him or not."

The Closutton team enjoyed further weekend success through Kalix Delabarriere, Spindleberry and Kaiser Ball, the last-named winning on debut in the Fairyhouse bumper for jockey Thomas Costello, a race in which Mullins rode the third home, Arslan.

Mullins said: “We went a proper gallop from the off in the bumper, it wasn’t nice ground as it was old and a bit tacky but there wasn’t much depth to it, and the (winning) time was four minutes and five seconds which is not a bad time. So the ground wasn’t too heavy.

“The eventual first and second sat last and second-last (early on), and I thought it was a real good performance from Kaiser Ball, and a very good ride from Thomas as he’s not a simple horse, he can be quite keen.

“Thomas got him switched off and settled and when he got a bit keen around halfway, Thomas got him to drop off again. He came widest of all and, when he gave him a squeeze, he’s run away and won well.

“The second (Eachtotheirown) has some good form, Barry Connell (trainer) was very happy with him too.

"I don’t know what the plans are for Kaiser Ball yet, we’ll have to talk to the Costellos (owners) and see where they want to go, there’s a winners' bumper back in Fairyhouse he could go for at Easter.

“He has a great pedigree, though, there’s a lot of Flat speed in the pedigree and Nom De D’La, his sire, is closely related to Nickname and No Risk At All. The Costellos are very shrewd and it looks like they’ve found another good one.

“I think Arslan might have just got tired but his pedigree is Wootton Bassett out of an American Flat horse so maybe he’s going to want proper good ground.

"We did run into a little bit of trouble at the top of the straight, and we might have finished second otherwise, but we wouldn’t have got close to the winner.”

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.