RACING: I AM
I AM MAXIMUS made National Hunt racing’s most formidable Coliseum his own personal playground as he turned the Randox Grand National into child’s play.
With 30 daunting fences to jump and in excess of four-and-a-quarter miles to gallop, the world’s most celebrated steeplechase asks the most searching questions of horse and rider.
But I Am Maximus, the 7-1 joint-favourite, and Paul Townend streaked away from their rivals to capture the £500,000 first prize – the haul propelled Ireland’s record-breaking Willie Mullins to the top of the British trainers’ table – by seven and a half lengths.
Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work edged out fellow 28-1 chance, and 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, Minella Indo, by half a length for second place, with the runner-up’s stablemate Galvin completing a 1-2-3-4 for the Irish raiders.
Kitty’s Light, the horse who helped trainer Christian Williams through a traumatic year as his daughter Betsy battles leukaemia, was a gallant fifth.
“He’s quirky, he’s immature, but he’s learning all the time,” beamed Mullins (circle) of the eight-year-old winner. “We just had to nurture that talent,” added
Mullins, doubling up 19 years after his first National success with Hedgehunter.
Despite the gelding’s win in last season’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, many doubted whether an unorthodox jumping technique would serve him well over the famous obstacles.
“He probably didn’t jump as clean as you’d hope,” admitted Mullins, “but you could see Paul just looking for the gaps between the last two fences, just looking for some clear air.
“He eventually got it, and he set him alight.
“At home, he’s just another horse. If you saw him in the field you wouldn’t pass any remark, but I think he could go the whole way to be a Gold Cup horse.”
Townend, capturing the race for the first time at his 13th attempt – the jockey has combined with Mullins to lift the Champion Hurdle, Chelten-hamgoldcup and the National in the same spring – still had eight horses in front of him clearing the penultimate fence.
That had halved by the time the combination jumped the last before I Am Maximus, giving owner JP Mcmanus a third National triumph, bounded clear.
“Gold Cups are Gold Cups - Grade 1s are hard to win - but Grand Nationals are just a bit different,” reflected the winning jockey. “I didn’t get the clearest run from the second-last to the last but it kind of helped me and I had a feeling that when I got him out he was going to start motoring and he did!”
The victory had a tragic backdrop.
The horse’s former owner, Salford businessman Mike Grech, was found dead last September at the age of 63.
Grech’s wife Maxine and the couple’s five children were present at Aintree to watch the race and Mcmanus said: “I’m sure she wanted him to win.”
Having overtaken Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls in the race for the British trainers’ title – Vincent O’brien was the last Irish-based handler to take the prize in 1954 – Mullins declared: “It’s game on!
“We’re there with a chance. We’ll have to give it a go, so I might see you in Sandown, Perth, Ayr – wherever!”
The field of 32 included 21 finishers - two fewer than the record 23 who completed in 1984 - all horses were reported to have returned to the racecourse stables.
But defending champion Corach Rambler parted company with jockey Derek Fox at the very first fence.
Trainer Lucinda Russell admitted:
“He just overjumped, but everything is fine with him.”