Patrick Mullins put his nose straight back to the grindstone as he took a ride at
little more than 24 hours after his
triumph aboard
.
The decorated amateur was part of a famous Aintree renewal for the Mullins family, with his father Willie training not only the winner but also the second, third, fifth and seventh-placed runners.
It was therefore an immensely emotional day, but Patrick did not shirk his Sunday commitments and was back in Ireland to ride 11-4 favourite Future Prospect in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Total Enjoyment Mares INH Flat Race.
He could only finish third as Ross O’Sullivan’s Switch From Diesel came out on top at 3-1, but little could dampen Mullins’ spirits after his career-defining victory in Liverpool.
“We didn’t make the flight last night. We came home this morning and came straight here,” he said.
“I’ll go home tonight and watch it (National) five or six times. I crossed the line and I didn’t even celebrate, the only thing I could do was smile.
“I’ve been reading about it and watching it since I was a kid. I was watching Red Rum, Crisp and then obviously David and Emmet (Mullins, cousins) won it so it was great to get even with them anyway. I’m sure Danny (Mullins, also his cousin) will have his day.
“It was fantastic, everything I dreamed of and more. It was one of those races that I couldn’t have written how well it went. He jumped brilliantly, no one made a mistake near me or came across me at the Canal Turn.
“When I landed in front at the back of the second-last I said ‘ah, balls’. If I had got beaten on him I would have been kicking myself but I didn’t, thank God!”
Elsewhere on the card,
left Cheltenham behind him with a smart win the Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle.
The seven-year-old was one of the few horses horse who did not shine at the Cheltenham Festival for Mullins or owner JP McManus, when seventh in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
He returned at Grade Two level and duly made amends, scoring by a length and a half under Mark Walsh at 5-1.
Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: “It was a good performance, he (Walsh) said he jumped great and the ground was nice for him.
“He said he was a much happier horse today, it just didn’t happen for him at Cheltenham. The whole thing got to him a little bit and he didn’t perform.
“This is a lovely race to get for him and it’s nice to see him back doing something like that.
“I’m sure if he’s fit and well he’ll go to Punchestown for something.”