Patrick Mullins savoured his greatest moment as a jockey when he steered Nick Rockett to triumph in the 2025 Grand National. Aintree spectators witnessed a thrilling contest as two of Willie Mullins' horses battled it out in the final stages. However, it was Nick Rockett who etched his name into the annals of Aintree, with Mullins successfully holding off last year's champion, I Am Maximus, to claim victory.

The win was particularly poignant for Mullins as Nick Rockett is trained by his father, Willie. He also joins his cousins David and Emmet in the family's Grand National winners' circle, with David having won as a jockey on Rule The World and Emmet as a trainer with Noble Yeats.

On average, victorious jockeys in the Grand National pocket about 8% of the prize money, while those placed earn around 4%. This typically results in the winning jockey walking away from the event with a cheque for approximately £40,000.

However, Mullins won't receive a single penny for his winning ride this year. This is because the Irishman is registered as an amateur jockey and therefore does not earn a fee for riding.

Amateur jockeys can compete in both flat and jump races, but they do so for enjoyment rather than as a career. It's also not uncommon for amateurs to regularly race against professionals.

Reflecting on his triumph at Aintree, Mullins expressed: "I had too good a start and was having to take him back all the way. I was wondering at the Canal Turn had I lost too much ground, but he just jumped fantastic.

"Then I was there too soon and it is a long way from the back of the last with Paul on my outside.

"It's everything I've dreamed of since I was a kid. I know it's a cliche, but when I was five or six years old, I was reading books about the National and watching black and white videos of Red Rum. To put my name there is very special."

Willie Mullins also remarkably secured the top three positions in the race, yet he admitted his focus was primarily on seeing his son triumphant. He shared: "I actually wasn't thinking about the 1-2-3 - I was single-mindedly thinking about Patrick riding the winner and about Stewart and Sadie.

"I didn't realise that we'd finished third or fifth - I didn't look any further. Once we passed the winning post in front the rest didn't matter."

Regarding his son, an ecstatic Mullins Snr said: "Patrick comes in every morning and runs the whole show. He matches all the horses and the riders every morning and I might come up and change one or two things but Patrick could take over.

"It just comes natural to him. He's very precise and concise about things. He knows what to do and when to do it. I am absolutely delighted for him.

"You dream about winning big races here and there but the first race we saw growing up was the Grand National in black and white. We all lived every year for the horse you were going to back in the National - and the owners and trainers of the National runners were heroes in our game."