Sunday Times
12th April 2026
The sun shone and class would out. Top weight I Am Maximus, winner in 2024 and second last year, became the first horse since Red Rum to regain the Grand National. Willie Mullins joined Red Rum’s trainer on four National wins and JP McManus fourth success makes puts him ahead of any owner in the great race’s 178 history.
It may be different and less glaringly difficult now but this four and a quarter mile, 30 fence journey remains a challenge that takes you from the very start – and reputations count for nowt. Patrick Mullins was the 2025 hero, Grangeclare West was third last year and while Patrick was keen for a repeat his partner had different ideas. Grangeclare West was last away, put down on take-off at the first fence and instead of being led back in triumph, he was a lonely figure on his feet.
Other fancies failed to fire. Quai De Bourbon who went at the second was a 33-1 outsider but the next fence claimed Panic Attack, second only to I Am Maximus in the betting and it made one dent on British champion trainer elect Dan Skelton’s otherwise amazing four winner afternoon.
The fences may be softer, the drops removed and the approaches smoothed but they still take some jumping at pace and in company. In all there were seven fallers and seven blunders enough to unseat jockeys. Quai De Bourbon and Mr Vango who fell at Bechers needed an ambulance to get them back to the stables but had walked on and off. Robbie Dunne who got a bad crash off Stellar Story was reported conscious on his way to hospital.
The race itself was packed with drama and Paul Townend’s route to this second I Am Maximus’s second glory was anything but an easy or certain one. On the first circuit Ireland’s seven times champion jockey was serene enough as he snuggled the favourite around the inside and he was a close six or seventh as the pack tacked The Chair fence in front of the stands. But as the long priced leaders High Class Hero, Amirite, Top Of The Bill took the field down to Bechers he seemed to lose his position and the distinguishing white cap of the six McManus runners was had a dozen ahead of him and an active jockey on top as they swung the 90 degrees of the Canal Turn.
By now High Class Hero had been joined by Jordans who had so badly hampered by a faller at the 7th that he was virtually last at one stage on the second circuit but had revived to an extent that jockey Ben Jones clearly couldn’t believe what was under him. So much so that he jumped ahead at the third last fence and as he crossed the Melling Road the thought of what was still a very distant winning post grabbed him as it has grabbed so many before.
This would have been Jones’ 100th winner and crossing the Melling Road he let Jordans hit for home. Immediately he had 10 lengths on the field, still six from High Class Hero and Johnnywho at the second last. Two loose horses led him over the final fence, High Class Hero was closing, Johnnywho was still in it, Iroko too and on the outside now the familiar long stride of I Am Maximus himself.
The riderless Beauport still led at the elbow and was to be the first set of legs past the post. Jordans stride was shortening, the winning line receding, I Am Maximus reaching hungrily for glory once again. 70 yards out he had him and drove on to have two and a half as a victory margin. Iroko rushed through to get past Jordans who just clung on to hold off Johnnywho for third. High Class Hero had run a high class race to be fifth of 16 finishers and we began to reel again at the wonders of Willie Mullins as a trainer.
He is 70 this September. Champion in Ireland these past 18 years, champion in Britain for the last two seasons as well as a Breeders Cup race in California last November, he has now joined the legendary Vincent O’Brien in winning three Grand Nationals in a row.
“It’s amazing to think of this,” he said after wards. “The Grand National is the race we all aspire to win and just to have a runner in it is a tremendous sensation.” As ever he went on to praise his jockey with whom a month ago he had also won the Gold Cup on Gaelic Warrior. “He’s a really, really good horse,” said Paul Townend. “He’d gallop to the end of the world for you. Grand Nationals and the Gold Cups are the pinnacle of our sport and we got them both.”
So too McManus, quiet and deceptively unassuming as ever, surrounded by a flock of grandchildren and happily complete with his recuperating wife Maureen. “We have a bit to do to catch up with Red Rum,” he said, “but we’ll definitely try. Red Rum was the figurehead of the National and it’s nice to be mentioned in the same breath as him. Full marks to the team, they have all played a part. It’s so exciting. I’d like to compliment Paul on the ride.”
For sure there were bigger things happening on the day Artemis II made it’s magnificently miraculous splashdown and some sort of search for sanity was supposed to be happening in the east. But for nine glorious minutes at Aintree a horse race held us once again in thrall.