GRAND NATIONAL winner Patrick Mullins has been SUSPENDED from racing.
The decision came after Mullins, the son of Willie Mullins, was found to have excessively used his whip.
PAPatrick Mullins has been banned from racing for eight days[/caption]
It comes after a review found him guilty of excessive use of his whip after the final fence at the Grand National
PABut the ban will not see him stripped of the title on Nick Rockett[/caption]
Riding on Nick Rockett at Aintree, Mullins was deemed to have used his whip once above the permitted level of seven after the final fence.
The 35-year-old has consequently been hit with an eight-day suspension, double the usual punishment due to the Grand National being a Class One race.
Fortunately for Mullins, his breach of whip rules will not take away his race victory.
A statement from the Whip Review Committee said: “Taking into account that this was a Class 1 race, the penalty in respect of the above permitted level was doubled.
“He will be suspended for 8 days as follows Wednesday 23 and Friday 25 April, Friday 02, Wednesday 07, Saturday 10, Wednesday 14, Friday 16 and Tuesday 20 May 2025.”
Patrick’s special win on Saturday which saw him edge out last year’s winner, I Am Maximus, had left trainer dad Willie in tears.
However, the amateur jockey did not win any prize money from the victory.
Jockeys are usually guaranteed a cut of around eight per cent of the winning purse, which would have given Mullins a £40,000 prize pot.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
But his admission as an amateur meant he was not entitled a share of the money.
On the win, Mullins said: “I had too good a start and was having to take him back all the way.
“I was wondering at the Canal Turn had I lost too much ground, but he just jumped fantastic.
“Then I was there too soon and it is a long way from the back of the last with Paul (Townend) on my outside.
“It’s everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.
“I know it’s a cliche, but when I was five or six years old, I was reading books about the National and watching black and white videos of Red Rum.
“To put my name there is very special.”
Willie Mullins, 68, trained five of the first seven runners in the Grand National.
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
