I Am Maximus, last year’s dominant Grand National winner, faces a significant challenge in his bid for back-to-back victories at Aintree on April 5. Handed top weight of 11st 12lb in the latest handicap release, he must overcome a burden last successfully carried to victory by the legendary Red Rum in 1974. If successful, he would join an elite group of just six horses in the race’s 186-year history to claim a second Grand National win.
Red Rum, remembered as the only three-time winner of the race, carried 12st to his second triumph, and I Am Maximus now faces a similar test. However, today’s Grand National differs significantly from the race of the 1970s. Recent modifications to the start, fences, and race conditions including a reduced field size of 34 have increased safety and changed the dynamic of the contest.
The 2024 renewal saw a record completion rate, with no fallers and an exciting spectacle in which around 20 horses were still in contention approaching the second-last fence. Despite minor jumping errors, I Am Maximus used his stamina and class to surge ahead, winning by nearly eight lengths after clearing the final obstacle with five rivals in front of him.
Under previous handicapping systems, a past Aintree winner would have been penalized further for the “Aintree factor.” However, the current handicapper, Martin Greenwood, has taken a different approach, leaving I Am Maximus only 8lb higher in the weights than last year.
Trainer Willie Mullins acknowledged the difficulty of carrying top weight, admitting concerns about how the horse would handle a return to the course. “It’s top weight and it’s tough, but we had an idea that it would be,” he said. “My worry is that sometimes when they go back, they don’t like it, but he looked to love it last year, so hopefully he’ll come back and be as good as he was.”
The early betting market is dominated by horses carrying the green and gold silks of JP McManus. Leading the odds at 10-1 is Inothewayurthinkin, fourth in the recent Irish Gold Cup and set to carry 11st 5lb. I Am Maximus follows at 12-1, while Iroko, a British-trained contender from the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero stable, sits at 14-1.
Irish-trained horses dominated last year’s National, filling six of the first seven places. Mullins and Gordon Elliott are well-represented once again, with Mullins highlighting Meetingofthewaters (33-1, 10st 7lb) and Thyestes Chase winner Nick Rockett (11st 8lb) as strong contenders. “I think Meetingofthewaters has a lovely weight,” Mullins noted. “He ran very well last year and my eye was drawn to him when I saw his weight. He’s one I like.”
Another leading Irish challenger is Intense Raffles, winner of the Irish Grand National last April. Trained by Tom Gibney, the seven-year-old carries 10st 10lb and has had two quiet runs over hurdles this season. A final chase outing is planned to ensure he qualifies for Aintree. Priced around 16-1, he could be a strong contender if he recaptures his best form.
“We’re hoping to get serious now as we get a bit closer,” Gibney said. “All being well, he’ll run again, not this weekend but the next weekend at Fairyhouse. It was a great performance [in the Irish National] and if we can get him back to that, I’d be very happy.”
With a competitive field shaping up, I Am Maximus faces a tough task in his bid to make history, but his class and proven ability at Aintree make him a formidable contender once again.
