Patrick Mullins aiming to extend the National party at Ayr

A week on from his success on Merseyside, Patrick Mullins is still on cloud nine as he goes in search of huge double in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr Saturday.

The last seven days have been a tale of celebrations for the record-breaking amateur, who reduced his father Willie to tears after booting home Nick Rockett to win the Randox Grand National.

A Saturday night flight back to Ireland was cancelled in favour of an extended stay in Liverpool and the party has continued on home soil, with a Monday evening session with friends and fellow jockeys in Kilkenny followed by a homecoming parade and yet another late one at the Mullins’ local haunt, The Lord Bagenal, on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old, who six months ago became a father for the first time to daughter Wynter, was understandably a little weary on Thursday, saying: “It was a late night! We had a great turnout, everyone was there and we celebrated it well.

“We didn’t do a whole lot on Saturday night, but Monday night and Wednesday we celebrated properly, so we’re well and truly up to date anyway!

“She (Wynter) is pretty good, she either slept through or we didn’t hear her, one or the other! She’s been keeping her end of the bargain.”

With the festivities over, the Closutton machine will again fire up its engines this weekend, with a formidable raiding party bound for the west of Scotland.

In the £200,000 feature, Mullins will be aboard Olympic Man, who opened his account over fences at the third attempt at Naas a month ago.

“He’s probably got enough weight for what he’s done, but with the step up in trip and how unexposed he is, he has a nice profile for it,” said the rider.

“His jumping is going to have to stand up as he has been a bit ropey at times and this is obviously his first handicap, but I think he goes there with a good chance.”

Olympic Man is one of six Mullins runners in the Scottish Grand National, with the Sean O’Keeffe-ridden Chosen Witness the likely favourite.

Danny Mullins keeps the ride on last year’s narrow winner Macdermott, Harry Cobden has been booked to partner Captain Cody, Brian Hayes is on Spanish Harlem and Jonathan Burke partners Klarc Kent.

Mullins added: “Chosen Witness won over hurdles there last year and since then we’ve been thinking about coming back this year for the Scottish National. His profile is very similar to Olympic Man’s and I think drying ground will bring out improvement in him.

“The drying ground and the extended trip will both play to Macdermott’s strengths.”

Mullins junior has three rides on the undercard, including likely favourite Ethical Diamond in the £100,000 Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle.

He also has high hopes for Chart Topper in the Tennent’s Lager Novices’ Hurdle and rounds off his afternoon by partnering newcomer Dysart Dolomite in the concluding bumper.

“Ethical Diamond ran a really good race to finish fourth in the County Hurdle last time. I rode an exaggerated waiting race and on the day it probably wasn’t the ideal place to be, so I think he ran well considering,” said Mullins.

“He’d obviously been very keen when he ran at Royal Ascot last year, but judged on how settled he was in Cheltenham, I think I can probably ride him a bit more positively this time. I wouldn’t swap him.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on Chart Topper as well. He ran really well in Kelso the last day and I think stepping up in trip will help him.”

The sub-plot to the action is, of course, the race to be crowned Britain’s champion trainer.

Willie Mullins became the first Irish handler in 70 years to lift the British title last season and while Dan Skelton had a huge lead prior to Aintree, Mullins closed the gap to just over £120,000 by saddling five of the first seven home in the Grand National.

Most bookmakers now make the reigning champion odds-on to successfully defend his crown, but Mullins junior believes is is far from a done deal.

He added: “Hopefully we can claw some back this weekend, but we’ve had plenty of days where we’ve hit the bullseye and it’s hard to expect bullseyes every day, so we’ll see.

“We were ahead (in the title race) going to Ayr last year, so we’re a good bit behind where we were then and last year we got the rub of the green in close finishes in the Scottish Grand National and the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, so it’s going to need a big effort.”