I Am Maximus Storms to Historic Grand National Victory

I Am Maximus made history as he became the first horse since Red Rum in 1977 to reclaim victory in the Randox Grand National. 

In a drama-filled renewal of the race, the 2024 winner and 2025 runner up, trained by Willie Mullins stormed to victory as the 9/2 favourite followed by runners-up Iroko, Jordans and Johnnywho.

The win also marked a historic achievement for Mullins, who became the first trainer since Vincent O’Brien to win three consecutive editions of the Aintree spectacular.

In the early stages of the race, Grangeclare West parted ways with Patrick Mullins, who was last year’s winner aboard Nick Rockett, followed shortly by a fall from one of the Nationals’ strongest contenders, Panic Attack.

In the final stages of the race, Ben Jones took the leap of faith with hopes of matching his King George win on Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man, aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Jordans, however a JP MacManus owned favourite powered home from off the pace to claim victory with jockey Paul Townend riding him.

This was Macmanus’s fourth win in the Grand National, also seeing second place with Iroko who jumped up two places from last year’s National.

In an interview, Mullins told Sky Sports: “It was a good call from JP, I’d been going down the Gold Cup route with him, but he said to stay in Aintree with him as he felt he was well handicapped.

“Paul just executed it so well.