Mullins handed chance to end National’s 31-year amateur drought

Amateur jockey Patrick Mullins has come in for the ride on Burrows Saint, second favourite for the Randox Health Grand National tomorrow, after Paul Townend was ruled out with an injury.

Five amateurs have won the National since the War. Though Sam Waley-cohen and Jamie Codd each finished second more recently, Mullins was only a few months old when the last member of the unpaid ranks won it 31 years ago (your correspondent on Mr Frisk).

Mullins has an outstanding chance on the 2019 Irish National winner, who is trained by his father, Willie.

The Rich Ricci-owned eight-yearold gelding gave his trainer a first Irish National when, as a six-yearold, he won under Ruby Walsh.

“It’s fantastic to pick up the spin,” Mullins, the 12-time Irish champion amateur, said yesterday. “The weight’s quite light for me, but just enough. He’s in great form at home, I had a sit on him at Haydock [base for the Irish horses this week] and he’s had nine runs over fences – he ticks a lot of boxes.

“I never expected I’d ride a horse in the National with a live chance, so it doesn’t get better than this. Ever since I was seven or eight and read a book on the history of the race, this is the race I wanted a crack at, more so than the Gold Cup.”

Townend picked up a foot injury at Fairyhouse last weekend.

Secret Reprieve, the Welsh National winner, failed to make the cut and must now wait to see if he gets in as a reserve.

The Storyteller was the only horse to come out of the race at the 48-hour declaration stage yesterday. It means Some Neck is first reserve and Secret Reprieve, who was as short as 14-1 with some bookies, is second reserve.

The deadline for reserves getting into the race is 1pm today, and if any runner drops out for any reason after that time, they will not be replaced.