Last year’s champion Nick Rockett, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by son Patrick, has been pulled from this weekend’s Grand National after a coughing bout. The 2024 winner, who finished two‑and‑a‑half lengths ahead of I Am Maximus, was aiming for a rare back‑to‑back title, the first since Red Rum. The decision came as Patrick switched to Grangeclare West, leaving Tom Bellamy on Rockett.

Pied Piper, the first reserve trained by Gordon Elliott, has taken the vacant spot, keeping the field at 34 runners. I Am Maximus heads the betting at 7‑1 favourite, but will need to break a record held by Red Rum in 1974 by becoming the first top‑weight winner. Paul Townend will mount the horse for a third straight year.

With seven Mullins‑trained horses in the lineup, the race will test the trainer’s dominance. Townend’s second‑place finish behind Rockett last year and the sweep of the top three by Mullins’ stable add drama. The National starts at 16:00 BST on Saturday, and fans will watch to see if a new champion emerges.

The withdrawal underscores the physical demands of the National, where even a minor cough can jeopardise a horse’s campaign. Mullins now faces a reshuffled strategy, with Patrick’s move to Grangeclare West offering a fresh challenge for the 2025 champion. Meanwhile, Tom Bellamy’s unexpected ride on Rockett could signal a shift in jockey‑horse pairings for future classics.