Last year's winner out of the Aintree Grand National

Last year’s winner of the Aintree Grand National, Nick Rockett, won’t be defending his title in the 2026 renewal on Saturday after he was withdrawn from the race this morning.

Nick Rockett has endured an injury hit season and his only race since that unforgettable win last year was an unremarkable effort on St Patrick’s Day.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that the winning jockey from last year, Patrick Mullins, was jumping ship and is going to ride Grangeclare West instead. English jockey Tom Bellamy was the surprise choice to ride Nick Rockett when he received the call up for the biggest ride of his life but unfortunately for him, that won’t now happen after owner Stewart Andrew reluctantly made the call not to risk a horse who is clearly at this time well short of his best.

It means that the Gordon Elliott trained Pied Piper sneaks into the race as the first reserve and that that Willie Mullins' battalion is reduced from nine to eight runners.

The race takes place in Aintree on Satuday at 4pm.