Could Mullins stage a repeat with I Am Maximus in 2025?
2X0TCRY 13th April 2024; Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Merseyside, England: 2024 Grand National Festival Day 3; I am Maximus ridden by Paul Townend wins The Randox Grand National Steeple Chase
Willie Mullins had to wait a considerable time between drinks for his second Aintree Grand National success.
The Closutton genius – there really is no other word for him now – won with Hedgehunter in 2005 but it was 19 long years before he’d see I Am Maximus land the crown for his second win.
Of course, it could scarcely have been better timed, with stable jockey Paul Townend bringing the JP McManus-owned runner home in front in a win that truly ignited the Mullins’ bid for the trainers’ championship in Britain.
Fast-forward a month, after Macdermott had added the Scottish National at Ayr, and the Co Carlow handler had duly made history – the first Irish-based trainer to be crowned Britain’s champion since the great Vincent O’Brien.
As an eight-year-old, I Am Maximus looks sure to have many more big days ahead of him. The win on Merseyside was only his 10th start over fences, his second at a marathon trip.
It added to his Irish Grand National win of 2023 and given the manner in which he finished the race a at Aintree, dominating from the elbow after travelling supremely well, it has to be imagined he will be back for another crack at the Grand National in 2025.
He is clear favourite with the bookmakers at around 12/1 in most places. Can it be done? We are living of course in the era when Tiger Roll became the first horse since Red Rum to repeat the feat.
The many changes to the Grand National have resulted in higher class horses taking on the challenge in this era. Where once a significant portion of in-race luck had to be relied on, now we have a clear case for overall ability being a key factor.
Only Reynoldstown (1935, 1936), Red Rum (1973, 1974), and Tiger Roll (2018, 2019) have ever won the race in successive years – so it’s certainly going to take some doing.
But we know that Tiger Roll went off a staggeringly short price as 4/1 favourite when he won his second renewal in 2019.
The Gordon Elliott-trained hero was heavily fancied for a hat-trick in 2020 when the pandemic scuppered his hopes.
As an 11-year-old in 2021, owners Gigginstown House Stud elected against running at Aintree, owner Michael O’Leary far from impressive with the handicapper’s assessment of Tiger Roll – though the formbook would certainly have supported the official rating.
Reynoldstown was 22/1 in his first win and 10/1 in year two for the Furlong’s – trained by Major Noel Furlong and ridden by his son Frank Furlong.
The most famous Grand National horse of all time, Red Rum won his first race in 1973, ridden by jockey Brian Fletcher and trained by the great Ginger McCain.
He was joint-favourite that year, at 9/1, and scored again in 1974 at odds of 11/1 – while he was the same price in 1977 as Tommy Stack did the steering.
Tiger Roll was 10/1 for his first win under Davy Russell and while plenty scoffed at odds of 4/1 a year later, the duo left them to think again with another polished display.
I Am Maximus seems sure to be the latest to attempt the repeat at Aintree and, when the race rolls around on April 5th, 2025 he might well be close to a similar price for the all-conquering Mullins.
