Michael Dickinson salutes National feat of Willie Mullins

Michael Dickinson has offered his congratulations to Willie Mullins after his remarkable domination of the Randox Grand National.

Nick Rockett led home a one-two-three for the master of Closutton, with the 68-year-old also saddling the fifth and seventh in the race – an achievement that has been compared to Dickinson’s ‘famous five’ heroics in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Even more special is that Mullins’ son, Patrick, was on the winner, and speaking from his home in America, Dickinson told the PA news agency: “Congratulations to Willie and his entire team for a superb training job.

“It was wonderful to see him train a horse to win the race ridden by his son.”

Dickinson was just 33 when Bregawn lead home the Dickinson battalion at Prestbury Park in 1983, with the Yorkshireman revealing the toll the pressure took in the build-up to that year’s Festival.

Now 75, Dickinson praised Mullins’ ability to handle the spotlight as he continues to dominate the National Hunt world, in a similar way to Dickinson in the early 1980s before turning his attention to the Flat and eventually emigrating to America.

Dickinson continued: “In the eight weeks leading up to the 1983 Gold Cup I lost 14lb in weight with worry, but Willie is not troubled by such problems and seems to handle all the pressure with ease.”

Mullins is now breathing down the neck of Dan Skelton in a bid to become UK champion jumps trainer for the second time, matching the achievement of Vincent O’Brien who went back-to-back in the 1950s.

Dickinson spent a period of time under the tutelage of O’Brien at Ballydoyle and when asked if there was any comparison between the pair and what they have accomplished, added: “Willie has done very well. They’re (Mullins and O’Brien) both very successful and both very good.”