Watch Willie Mullins’ emotional interview as owner is left close to tears after late wife’s horse wins £80,000 race

WILLIE MULLINS looked affectional erstwhile 1 of his owners was near adjacent to tears aft his precocious wife's equine won an £80,000 race.

Nick Rockett ran retired a superb victor of the hugely fashionable Thyestes Chase astatine Gowran Park successful Ireland connected Thursday.

The 18-runner handicap is 1 of the biggest races successful the calendar and ever attracts a beardown field.

But nary of the horses yesterday had a communicative attached to them arsenic heartbreaking arsenic that of Nick Rockett.

Still moving successful the sanction of Stewart and Sadie Andrew, Sadie sadly died successful 2022.

She got to spot Nick Rockett tally his archetypal contention a fewer days earlier she passed away.

He past won his adjacent 3 contests - including a Grade 2 implicit hurdles - earlier establishing himself arsenic an up-and-coming stayer to watch.

But that imaginable was ne'er genuinely realised until helium scooped the £50,000 first-place prize nether jockey Paul Townend yesterday.

There were affectional scenes successful the winner's enclosure, arsenic Stewart spoke truthful passionately astir what the triumph meant to him - and would person meant to his precocious wife.

While adjacent the usually unflappable Mullins looked moved by the occasion.

Stewart said: "Sadie was a section lass from Goresbridge, but sadly died successful December 2022.

"She got to spot him tally successful his archetypal bumper conscionable 5 days earlier she passed away.

"This equine has been a fantastic servant and to triumph present means truthful overmuch more.

"It gives maine an interior feeling of consolement arsenic it’s what Sadie ever wanted."

While Mullins added: "There volition beryllium large celebrations successful the country arsenic Sadie’s household are each from astir here.

"It was a tremendous performance. For maine contiguous was the day.

"You mightiness get a accidental to triumph 1 large handicap with a equine successful a play and what a contention to win."

This could beryllium conscionable the commencement of it, though, with Nick Rockett's likelihood for the Grand National slashed successful fractional connected the backmost of his Thyestes win.

Originally a 33-1 accidental for the world's astir celebrated race, Coral present marque him conscionable 16s.

The firm's John Hill said: "Willie Mullins is going to manus a beardown manus successful this year’s Grand National, with Nick Rockett looking similar a Aintree contender pursuing his triumph successful the Goffs Thystes Handicap Chase.

"The Gowran Park winner’s likelihood person been slashed successful half, and is lone down stablemate, I Am Maximus, and Irish Grand National winner, Intense Raffles, successful the betting."

Mullins confirmed Aintree could good beryllium the program - oregon the Irish National instead.

And a arrogant Stewart added: "It would beryllium large to person a runner successful the Grand National.

"He’s honest, helium jumps good and helium stays truthful that’s each you tin inquire for successful a National horse."

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