Looking Back at the 2025 Grand National
The 2025 Grand National was won by 33/1 shot Nick Rockett, with trainer Willie Mullins making history by saddling the first three horses home in the Aintree showdown. Three of the first six runners were able to come home at big odds.
The 2025 Grand National saw thirty-four runners line up for the Aintree showdown and the favourite was 13/2 shot Iroko. There was also I Am Maximus in the line-up, with the JP McManus-owned horse having won the 2024 renewal. These two horses were in strong contention when it came to the end of the race, although neither were able to claim a victory.
I Am Maximus was beaten into second place by two-and-a-half lengths, with the horse beaten by stablemate Nick Rockett. The latter had been sent off at odds of 33/1, with the charge having opened at 22/1 before drifting on the market. Patrick Mullins was the amateur jockey on board an eight-year-old who delighted some backers but the bookmakers even more.
After all, I Am Maximus winning wouldn't have been ideal for the bookies and the same applies to Iroko. The latter could only manage fourth place and it was the Mullins-trained Grangeclare West who ran into third. This was a 33/1 runner, so each-way backers of the charge were well rewarded.
Nick Rockett was always travelling well in the 2025 renewal. The horse's jumping was top notch and jockey Patrick Mullins always made sure his charge was in touch with the leaders. The runner made his move from midfield after the 22nd fence had been negotiated.
With four fences left, the eventual winner was brought out for a challenge and hit the front with two obstacles remaining. It was no surprise to find the horse being ridden along in the final stretch when under pressure from I Am Maximus. However, Nick Rockett kept on really well in the final 100 yards to land a two and a half length success.
Perhaps it should have come as no surprise that the horse was able to oblige considering he was triumphant in his previous two trips to a racecourse. There had been a January 2025 success at Gowran Park before obliging as the odds-on favourite at Fairyhouse, with the runner then able to reappear at Aintree and perform better than his price suggested.
There were sixteen horses who completed the course, with Meetingofthewaters obliging in fifth place at odds of 20/1. At an even bigger 40/1, Senior Chief was a sixth-placed finisher and this would have been rewarding for each-way backers providing that they were able to get six places or more when it came to this type of bet.
It should hardly come as a surprise that Mullins enjoyed so much success in the race, with the handler having six against the field although to get the first three home was a striking feat. There were eighteen horses who were trained in Ireland and we've come to expect a similar fleet of runners on an annual basis.
There were plenty of big-priced horses who were able to finish the race, even if they were well down the pecking order. Minella Cocooner was an 18/1 shot who ran into seventh place, with Willie Mullins seeing the horse run gamely. Hewick followed home in eighth position and John Joseph Hanlon was delighted with the way his charge ran.
Minella Indo has been a classy operator and Henry de Bromhead declared himself satisfied with the way that the 20/1 shot ran and finished in ninth position. The same applies to trainer Ben Pauling who saw Twig run very well and complete the entire course despite being sent off at odds of 50/1.
Three Card Brag was able to finish eleventh for Gordon Elliott and this horse was in the mix for plenty of the race. The 16/1 shot was travelling in second from an early stage and was even pressing the leader from the 20th obstacle onwards, although the horse wasn't able to find the necessary change of gears in order to land a victory.
There were only three fallers in the 2025 Grand National, with one of the leading fancies Perceval Legallois among them. He was the first horse to fall when coming a cropper at the 9th, while Kandoo Kid went at the 21st and Broadway Boy came down at the 25th. Appreciate It was brought down at the 21st.