The 2025 Scottish Grand National, run on good to soft going on April 12, was an eventful renewal, in which just eight of the 23 runners completed the course and the race was overshadowed by the deaths of two horses. The 2024 winner, Macdermott, was pulled up early on the second circuit and suffered a heart attack, while The Kniphand suffered a fatal fall at the second-last.
Having saddled the 1-2-3 in the Grand National the previous Saturday, Co. Carlow trainer Willie Mullins continued his push for the British trainers’ title, for the second year running, by saddling six runners, including the ill-fated Macdermott. The tragic death of the seven-year-old aside, the move paid off for the perennial Irish champion trainer, with three of his runners finishing first, second and seventh.
The race was won, by just a length, but cosily, by 9/1 joint-third favourite Captain Cody, ridden by champion jockey Harry Cobden, who was having just his second ride for the yard. Confidently ridden, the seven-year-old was three lengths behind stable companion Klarc Kent – who had finished fourth, off an 8lb higher mark, in 2024 – early on the run-in, but quickened when asked for an effort and overhauled the leader close home to win with something in hand. Our Power, a 33/1 chance trained by Sam Thomas and ridden by Dylan Johnston, fared best of the British-trained runners, finishing third, 10 lengths behind the front pair and 2¼ lengths ahead of Grozni, trained by James Owen and ridden by Callum Rodriguez, in fourth place.
Reflecting on his trainers’ title chances, Mullins said, “”Dan [Skelton, his main rival] won’t be standing still so he’ll probably win it, and if he does he’ll feel like he’s won a proper title.” Despite his pessimism, Mullins did, in fact, retain his trainers’ title after saddling a treble at Sandown Park on the final day of the season.