Another Mullins Conquers Aintree

By Daithí Harvey

The G3 Crabbies Aintree Grand National provided yet another fairytale result as Rule The World (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) claimed the world's most famous race under 19-year-old jockey David Mullins who was having his first ride in the race. The winner, trained by Mouse Morris for Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud was amazingly, winning for the first time over fences. “It's unbelievable. I just couldn't expect things to have gone better,” said Mullins.”There was one little mishap at the fourth-last, but thank god I came out ok. Everything went to plan really. Credit to Mouse, he's produced this horse without having won over fences.” Trainer Mouse Morris was verging on speechless after the race but eventuallly commented, “It's Disneyland – fairytale stuff. He's fractured his pelvis twice. Before that I always thought he was the best horse I ever had, how good would he be with a proper rear end on him?”

In a race where only 12 of the 39 runners finished, it looked for much of the four and a half miles that last year's winner Many Clouds (Ire) (Cloudings {Ire}) might stage an historic repeat but as he weakened from three out it was the strong travelling favourite The Last Samurai (Ire) (Flemensfirth {Ire}) and the gallant veteran, 13-year-old Vic's Canvas (Ire) (Old Vic {Ire}) that looked likely to battle it out. David Mullins however was biding his time on Rule The World and having jumped the last in third place he found the most on the punishing run in to register a famous six length victory for the trainer who also saddled the winner of the Irish Grand National a couple of weeks ago at Fairyhouse. For owners Gigginstown House Stud it has been a remarkable month with Don Cossack (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ger}) winning the G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup and Rogue Angel (Ire) (Presenting {GB}) winning the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday and owner Michael O'Leary was understandably elated. “This is the cream on top. I don't know what to feel, I'm numb. I thought I had no chance in it, I wanted to win a Gold Cup and it was beyond dreams that I could win a Grand National. To win a Gold Cup, Irish National and Grand National in one year – I think I should stop, it's not going to get any better than this,” said the CEO of Ryanair.

On a sidenote this correspondent shouted himself hoarse from roaring home Vic's Canvas. His 'painfully slow' dam Oilpainting (Ire) (Welsh Term {GB}) was bred by my father and having sold Vic's Canvas as a 4-year-old at Tattersalls Ireland, we have followed his progress or sometimes a lack thereof ever since. It almost all came together perfectly for the Dermot McLoughlin trained veteran and there was also a sense of what might have been when he recovered from a horrendous error at Becher's Brook first time around from which he lost at least a dozen lengths. A gallant performance in a race that never fails to throw up a wonderful story.