EVERY horse in the Grand National has a story to tell – but few tug at the heartstrings as much as Nick Rockett winning the £1million race.
Trained by Willie Mullins – who broke down in tears after the spectacular win – the eight-year-old is officially still owned by Stewart and Sadie Andrew.
But in truth it is just Stewart who travels round watching his beloved horse, after wife Sadie passed away from cancer in December 2022.
Mullins, the top trainer over jumps on both sides of the Irish Sea, got Nick Rockett fit for his debut that month, just five days before Sadie passed.
A ‘proper local lass’ from Goresbridge in Kilkenny, Ireland, just a few miles from Mullins’ Closutton base, Stewart’s dream came true last month when Nick Rockett won the prestigious Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, a month after he landed the Thyestes at Gowran Park, Sadie’s home track.
Tears flowed soon after the 5-6 favourite past the post under jockey Paul Townend.
Attention then immediately turned to the Grand National and, unbelievably, Stewart having a runner in their orange and black silks.
Sadie is always in her husband’s thoughts – but even more so on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking after that Bobbyjo win, Stewart managed to get the usually unflappable Mullins choked up.
Stewart, a successful Bradford businessman who’s owned horses for 25 years, said: “Sadie was a proper local lass from Goresbridge and Nick was her horse.
“Sadly she died in December 2022, but fortunately Willie managed to get the horse to run five days before she passed away.
“This is such an inner feeling of consolation to me because it’s what she always wanted.
“Now it’s been delivered on her home turf by a fantastic trainer.”
Stewart said he struggled in the years following his wife’s death, which came just three weeks after she was diagnosed.
But he counts Mullins as a friend – especially after he helped get him out of the ‘shell’ he had got into mourning his wife.
Stewart told the Racing Post: “After Sadie died, I went over to Willie to watch Nick Rockett work with Fergal O’Brien as he had a horse running in the Kerry National and Fergal’s daughter was working for Willie.
“I was in a tough place, missing Sadie, and Willie said he had two horses, Vauban and Absurde, running in the Melbourne Cup and asked if I wanted to come out.
“I went out and had the time of my life with the guys.
“It took me out of a cycle of not socialising as I had gone into a bit of a shell.
“We had a fantastic time and I got asked again last year and there was no way I was going to miss it.”
The Melbourne Cup is a hell of a party but nothing compares to the Grand National.
On Saturday, 25-1 Nick Rockett, ridden by Willie’s son Patrick, won in extraordinary circumstances.
“Out of such sadness, such joy has been born and Nick Rockett has done it all for me, ” said Stewart.
We can all drink to that.