Father-and-son combination wins the Grand National as Nick Rockett triumphs at odds of 33-1

It was a great day for the Mullins family in the Grand National.

Ridden by amateur jockey Patrick Mullins and trained by his father Willie Mullins, Nick Rockett — a 33-1 shot — won the storied British horse race in front of about 70,000 racegoers at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday.

For Willie Mullins, it was a 1-2-3 in the grueling steeplechase. I Am Maximus (7-1), which was bidding to win in back-to-back years, finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second place and Grangeclare West (33-1) was third, with both horses also trained by Mullins.

He said being the trainer of a Grand National-winning horse ridden by his son was “like something out of a Disney film.”

“It is lovely to be able to give your son a ride in the National,” said Willie Mullins, who was so emotional immediately after the race he could barely talk. "But to be able to win it is just unbelievable.”

Patrick Mullins said his win was “everything I've dreamed about since I was a kid.”

“It’s a cliche,” he said, "but when I was five or six years old, I remember reading books about the National and watching black-and-white videos of (three-time winner) Red Rum. So to put my name there is incredibly special.”

The Mullins family has quite the history with the Grand National. One of Patrick's cousins, David, rode Rule The World to victory as a 19-year-old in 2016, while another cousin — Emmet — was the trainer of 2022 winner Noble Yeats.

Willie Mullins even had the fifth-place finisher in Saturday's race, Meetingofthewaters.

“I had multiple runners in the race and I said before the first (fence) I can’t follow them all so I decided to follow the most important one and my son," Willie Mullins said.

“Patrick just kept the whole thing together and was as cool as ice.”

The owner of Nick Rockett is Stewart Andrew, whose wife, Sadie, originally owned the horse and died of cancer in December 2022 — soon after Nick Rockett ran his first jumps race.

“She’s here, she’s here,” said Andrew, who carried Patrick Mullins on his shoulders at one point after the race.

The Grand National — a race for 34 horses over 30 fences — has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous horse races in the world because of the size of the fences, though a number of new measures were introduced last year in an attempt to make it safer.

The 177th edition appeared to pass off without major incident, with 16 horses finishing the race.

Two of the horses who didn't — Broadway Boy (fall) and Celebre D’Allen (pulled up) — were still being assessed hours after the finish.

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Jockey Patrick Mullins, celebrates after winning the Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race aboard Nick Rockett, on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Jockey Patrick Mullins holds up the trophy after winning the Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race aboard Nick Rockett, on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Jockey Patrick Mullins, riding Nick Rockett, crosses the line to win the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Jockey Patrick Mullins, ridding Nick Rockett, center, clears a fence on their way to win the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Horses compete in the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Jockey Patrick Mullins, ridding Nick Rockett, clears a fence on their way to win the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Racegoers attend the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Jockey Patrick Mullins, ridding Nick Rockett, crosses the line to win the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Jockey Patrick Mullins, ridding Nick Rockett, crosses the line to win the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Racegoers fill the stands on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Racegoers react during a race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Horses compete in the second race on the third day of the Grand National Horse Racing meeting at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Gidleigh Park ridden by Bryan Carver in the EBC Group Manifesto Novices' Chase on day one of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England, Thursday April 3, 2025. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Gracchus De Balme ridden by Huw Edwards on their way to winning the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase on day one of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England, Thursday April 3, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. military leaders said Tuesday that a ceasefire with Iran remains in effect a day after Tehran was blamed for new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and against the United Arab Emirates.

The fragile truce, reached nearly a month ago, appeared to be holding as U.S. forces pressed ahead with efforts to reopen the vital waterway for global energy. On Monday, the U.S. said it sank six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships.

So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through a new U.S.-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Persian Gulf. It's unclear whether continued U.S. military action will reassure shippers without reigniting the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

The UAE, a key American ally, said it came under attack by Iranian missiles and drones for a second straight day on Tuesday. At least three people were wounded in attacks the day before, and a drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility in the eastern emirate of Fujairah.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, along with fertilizer and other petroleum-derived products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy. Breaking Iran's grip would deny its main source of leverage as U.S. President Donald Trump demands a major rollback of its disputed nuclear program.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the U.S. military’s top officer, told a news conference Tuesday that Iran’s renewed aggression hadn’t reached the threshold of what Caine called “major combat operations.” He said Tuesday marked a “quieter” day in the strait.

“No, the ceasefire is not over,” Hegseth said, affirming Caine’s assessment. They spoke before the latest attacks on the UAE.

Iran has said the new effort does violate the ceasefire. Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security. In a post on X, he signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway.

“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet,” he said. His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.

Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.

Caine, the top U.S. general who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling skies around the strait.

“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times – all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” Caine said.

The administration has cited the April 8 ceasefire in asserting that the president does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidents to seek formal approval from Congress for war activities 60 days after beginning military action.

So far, just two civilian vessels, both U.S.-flagged merchant ships, are known to have passed through the strait as part of the lane the U.S. says it has created.

“At this point in time our risk assessment remains unchanged,” Hamburg, Germany-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd AG said in a statement. “Transits through the Strait of Hormuz are for the moment not possible for our ships.”

Ship tracking data showed a Panamanian-flagged crude oil tanker heading toward the center of the strait Tuesday after leaving an anchorage in the Persian Gulf, though it was unclear if it would try to pass through. The tanker had a stated destination of Singapore, according to the MarineTraffic ship tracking site.

Iran has attacked ships that try to transit without going through its own route in the northern part of the narrow strait near the Iranian coastline. That involves going through vetting by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and payment in some cases.

The U.S.-approved “Project Freedom” route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.

“For shipping companies and for insurance companies, they still have to wait and see how this plays out,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“This initiative alone isn’t something that looks like it’s going to open the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, also on Monday.

On Tuesday, the UAE's Defense Ministry said air defenses were responding to another Iranian drone and missile attack.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attacks, calling the targeting of civilians and infrastructure “unacceptable.” On X, Modi said India stands in “firm solidarity” with the UAE, and stressed the need for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Tuesday said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes against the UAE. The Saudi condemnation came despite increasingly strained relations with the UAE.

The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.

The U.S. meanwhile has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to its Central Command. It also has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for transit of the strait.

The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade will force Iran to make concessions in talks on its nuclear program and other longstanding issues.

Finley reported from Washington and Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, Lebanon; Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Bill Barrow in Atlanta; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

Pro-government demonstrators chant slogans as one of them holds a poster of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during their gathering at Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution, square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Israeli soldiers drive a tank inside a village in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

An Iranian demonstrator waves a flag of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group under an anti-U.S. billboard depicting the American aircrafts into the Iranian armed forces fishing net with signs that read in Farsi: "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed, The entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground," during a pro-government gathering at Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution, square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A bulk cargo ship sits at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Saturday, May 2, 2026.(Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)