I Am Maximus Reclaims Grand National Title

In a historic moment, I Am Maximus became the first horse to reclaim the Grand National title since the legendary Red Rum, achieving this feat in the 2026 Randox Grand National. The race was filled with early drama, including the departure of last year's third-place finisher, Grangeclare West, and Panic Attack at the third fence. I Am Maximus, skillfully guided by Paul Townend, tracked the inside path, a strategy that has proven successful for him in the past. As the race progressed, Ben Jones made a bold move with The Jukebox Man, but it was the heavily backed 9-2 favorite, I Am Maximus, who ultimately stormed home to victory after the final jump, securing his second Grand National win. This triumph marked a record fourth win in the race for owner JP McManus, who also saw his horse Iroko finish second, a first for one owner to have the first two places in the race. Jordans took third place, followed by Johnnywho in fourth. Trainer Willie Mullins, who joins the ranks of Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell as a four-time National-winning handler, credited the victory to a good call by JP McManus to keep I Am Maximus in the Aintree race, feeling he was well handicapped. Mullins praised the horse, calling him 'a superb horse who got a fantastic ride.' The win was not without its challenges, as Mullins noted that the most trouble I Am Maximus faced was from his stablemates and their riders, who did not give him much room. When asked about the difficulty of winning with top weight, Mullins suggested that the modern-day National might be changing, and they are looking at it differently. I Am Maximus's jockey, Paul Townend, described the horse as 'tough' and willing to 'gallop to the end of the world for you.' Townend believed that the cheekpieces helped in the middle part of the race. In another notable performance, Home By The Lee followed up his Stayers' Hurdle success at the Cheltenham Festival with a dominant display in the Jet2 Liverpool Hurdle, winning by seven lengths under an enterprising ride by J J Slevin. Trainer Joseph O'Brien praised Home By The Lee as 'a star for a number of years,' and credited the plan to inject pace during the second circuit of the three-mile Grade One, which allowed the veteran to outstay his competitors.