Second wind brings a second near-win

WILLIE Mullins was philosophical in defeat after narrowly missing out on winning the Randox Health Grand National for the second time.

The Irish champion trainer faces losing his crown to Gordon Elliott, and having seen his big rival deny him the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, it was a rapidly-diminishing head that prevented his Pleasant Company catching Tiger Roll at Aintree.

Mullins, who struck in the National with Hedgehunter in 2005, said: “That’s twice Gordon has done that to me, he did it in the Irish National too!

“He (Pleasant Company) seemed to get a little bit tired and then get a second wind.

“I never actually thought he’d got back up, but he ran a fantastic race. He jumped from fence to fence and you couldn’t ask for any better.

“He was only beaten a head and at the last fence I thought we were going to be beaten eight or 10 lengths.

“I’m really proud of him, he jumped fantastic and he’s one for next year.”

Rider David Mullins, who is the nephew of the trainer, said: “I was hoping and praying we’d get there.

“It was a four-and-a-quartermile race and a war of attrition. All you want is another five yards and you have it, but that’s racing and I’m very lucky to have won it two years ago.

“Davy (Russell, on Tiger Roll) went by me at the second-last on a fresh horse and I sort of said we weren’t going to win that race to the Elbow. I said we’d get to there and have one crack at him.

“I was just thinking ‘go’ and was hoping the winning post was going to keep going, but it didn’t.”