Ronan Groome

The Mullins family dynasty is already a golden one within the sport of racing but it was enriched even further on Saturday when the latest member struck gold in the biggest race of them all.

At just 32 and in just his sixth year in operation, Emmet Mullins is a Grand National winning trainer courtesy of Noble Yeats, the first seven-year-old to win the race in 82 years. He combined with a father-and-son duo of amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen and his father Robert (owner) to secure a place in racing history. His cousin David rode Rule The World to win the National in 2015 and his uncle Willie sent out Hedgehunter to win in 2005.

To add further sparkle to the story, it was Sam’s last ride. The 39-year-old is one of the most decorated amateur riders around, having won the Gold Cup and King George on Long Run and now has seven wins over the National fences. But his final success will be the one he’ll remember most fondly.

He gave the 50/1 priced Noble Yeats a cool and patient ride, moving into a promising position on the second circuit and then delivering him to the lead at the second last. From here the pair got the better of the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now, ridden by Mark Walsh, in a protracted duel.

An emotional Mullins said after the race: “Going out on the second circuit, I had to take a breath. I just said to myself, he’s in a winner’s position from there. Going across the Melling road, he (Sam) took a pull, got into a lovely position and tracked the front three around and I had to take my second deep breath – I think I took more blows than the horse!

“It’s surreal, an unbelievable feeling.”

Emmet is a son of George Mullins, who runs a very successful horse transport business, and the nephew of multiple-time champion trainer Willie, at whose Closutton base he trains his horses. He rode successfully as a jockey, recording a Cheltenham Festival win on Sir Des Champs in 2011, but even before Saturday, he had elevated his racing CV significantly as a trainer, with his reputation for succesfully targeting big handicap races.

Remarkable

Noble Yeats remarkably only won his bumper 14 months ago and was competing in beginners chases earlier this season. He was bought at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale for £75,000 and made his debut in the colours of Paul Byrne, a friend of Emmet’s, a year later. He failed to sell at another sale soon after but progressed through his races and was bought privately in February by Robert Waley-Cohen, who identified the horse as one “with the right profile” for the National.

Given the horse’s age and amount of runs, it’s conceivable that he could get better still and he may well be back in Aintree next year aiming to emulate Tiger Roll’s back-to-back wins.

Change of fortune

Elsewhere on Grand National day, the undercard provided a welcome change of fortune for Gordon Elliott, who recorded a Grade 1 double courtesy of Three Stripe Life and Sire Du Berlais. Elliott, whose Delta Work finished third in the National, only sent out two winners at Cheltenham and had two Grade 1 seconds on the first day of the Aintree Festivals, one of which was demoted following a stewards enquiry.

The Meath trainer had trained just one winner since Cheltenham so a high-profile double was significant and he’ll be hopeful of further success at local track Fairyhouse this weekend, where attention turns to the three-day Easter Festival, headlined by the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday. CL