Who Won the Grand National 2025 – Nick Rockett’s Fairytale Victory

The 2025 Randox Grand National at Aintree produced a fairytale result for the Mullins family when Nick Rockett, a 33/1 outsider, crossed the line first under jockey Patrick Mullins. Trained by his father Willie Mullins, the eight-year-old Irish gelding held off a strong field to deliver one of the most emotional victories in the race’s recent history.

Who Won the Grand National 2025?

• Nick Rockett’s victory marked the first Grand National win for jockey Patrick Mullins and the second for trainer Willie Mullins, who previously won with I Am Maximus in 2024.
• The 2025 Grand National featured 34 runners, with only 14 horses completing the course.
• Nick Rockett started as a 33/1 outsider, making the result a surprise for many punters.
• Five of the top seven finishers were trained by Willie Mullins, underscoring the stable’s dominance.
• Prior to the Grand National, Nick Rockett had already won the Thyestes Chase and the Bobbyjo Chase in 2025.
• The win was particularly poignant because the horse is owned in the colours of Stewart Andrew and his late wife Sadie Andrew, who died of cancer in December 2022.
• Patrick Mullins described the victory as a childhood dream come true.

When and Where Was the 2025 Grand National?

The 2025 Grand National took place on Saturday, 5 April 2025 at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. The race started at 4:00pm BST, with the ground described as good to soft.

What Was the Date of the 2025 Grand National?

The race was run on 5 April 2025, following the traditional first Saturday of April slot that the Grand National has occupied for decades. The official race name was the Randox Grand National 2025.

Where Was the 2025 Grand National Held?

Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool has been the home of the Grand National since the race’s inception. The 2025 edition was the latest chapter in a history that stretches back to 1839, with the course’s famous fences including Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn, and the Chair.

What Were the Full Results of the 2025 Grand National?

Nick Rockett won by 2¾ lengths from I Am Maximus, with Grangeclare West finishing third. Meetingofthewaters placed fifth, contributing to a Mullins-trained sweep of the upper half of the leaderboard.

Which Horses Finished in the Top Five?

According to official results from the Jockey Club and confirmed by Wikipedia’s 2025 Grand National article, the top five finishing positions were:

• 1st: Nick Rockett (33/1) — ridden by Patrick Mullins, trained by Willie Mullins
• 2nd: I Am Maximus — ridden by Paul Townend, trained by Willie Mullins
• 3rd: Grangeclare West — ridden by Brian Hayes, trained by Willie Mullins
• 4th: Not specified in available reporting
• 5th: Meetingofthewaters — ridden by Danny Mullins, trained by Willie Mullins

The Racing Post Grand National results page provides the full finishing order for all 34 runners, including those that pulled up or fell.

How Many Runners Finished the 2025 Grand National?

Of the 34 horses that started the race, only 14 crossed the finish line. This rate of completion is in line with the typical attrition seen in the Grand National, where the 34 fences and the demanding 4-mile 2½-furlong distance regularly reduce the field significantly.

How Did the 2025 Grand National Race Unfold?

Based on race recaps from the Jockey Club and Racing Post, the key moments of the 2025 Grand National can be traced through the race’s major phases.

1. Pre-race (April 2025): 34 runners were declared. Nick Rockett was listed at 33/1 in the betting. The ground was good to soft.
2. Race start (4:00pm BST, 5 April 2025): The field set off over the 34 fences of the Aintree course.
3. Early stages: Several horses were pulled up in the early part of the race. No major incidents or falls were reported, and the pace was strong from the outset.
4. Final fences: Nick Rockett took the lead approaching the last fence and held off the challenge of I Am Maximus in the closing stages.
5. Finish: Nick Rockett won by 2¾ lengths from I Am Maximus, with Grangeclare West finishing third. The margin was clear, and there was no photo-finish controversy.

For a visual recap, the official Grand National YouTube channel published a fence-by-fence video replay of the 2025 race.

Is the 2025 Grand National Result Officially Confirmed?

What Was the Significance of Nick Rockett’s Win?

Nick Rockett’s victory was deeply significant on multiple levels. For Patrick Mullins, winning the Grand National on a horse trained by his father represented the fulfilment of a dream he had held since childhood. Willie Mullins called the result “unbelievable,” adding that simply giving his son a ride in the National was special, but winning it together was extraordinary.

The win was also emotionally charged because of the horse’s ownership. Nick Rockett carries the colours of Stewart Andrew and his late wife Sadie Andrew, who died of cancer in December 2022. She had entrusted the horse to Willie Mullins before her passing, making the victory a poignant tribute.

On a broader level, the 2025 result continued the trend of Irish-trained winners in the Grand National — 15 of the last 17 editions have been won by horses trained in Ireland. It also reinforced Willie Mullins’ position as a dominant force in National Hunt racing, with five of his runners finishing in the top seven.

For readers interested in other major racing events, see the Scottish Grand National 2025 – Complete Results Winner And Recap for a look at another key staying chase on the British calendar.

What Did Patrick Mullins and Willie Mullins Say About the Win?

Both father and son shared emotional reactions in post-race interviews and social media posts.

“It was a childhood dream come true. When I was a kid I watched videos so this is very special.”

— Patrick Mullins, quoted in post-race reporting, as reflected in the Aintree official Facebook post

“It is lovely to be able to give your son a ride in the National, but to be able to win it is just unbelievable.”

— Willie Mullins, speaking to racing media after the race

“He’s fine, I need a cold bath myself. He’s not big but he is brave as a lion.”

— Patrick Mullins, describing both himself and Nick Rockett after the race

The official Jockey Club results page for the 2025 Grand National provides the confirmed finishing order and official race data.

What Happens Next for the 2025 Grand National Winner?

Nick Rockett may be aimed at future staying chases following his Grand National triumph. The 2026 Grand National is scheduled for early April 2026 at Aintree, though no decision has been announced about a potential title defence. For context on a different major event, see the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua Date – Result and Full Recap.

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