Mullins seals third straight Grand National as I Am Maximus wins again
Mullins seals third straight Grand National as I Am Maximus wins again
Willie Mullins seals Grand National history with a third consecutive win as I Am Maximus conquers Aintree, matching Vincent O’Brien’s legendary record.
Willie Mullins celebrated a historic achievement at Aintree as he landed his third consecutive Grand National victory with I Am Maximus, matching the record set by Vincent O'Brien.
Ridden by Paul Townend and installed as the 9-2 favourite, I Am Maximus surged clear in a race packed with late drama, becoming the first horse since Red Rum in 1977 to regain the Grand National crown and the first top-weight winner since Red Rum carried 12st in 1974. When Ben Jones made his move on 28-1 shot Jordans around the final bend, Townend stalked the leaders and burst clear near the famous Aintree elbow, with history following the moment the tape went up.
The win also marked JP McManus as the leading owner in Grand National history, boasting four triumphs in the race after backing Don’t Push It (2010), Minella Times (2021), and I Am Maximus in 2024. Mullins, a 19-time Irish National Hunt Champion trainer, has now etched his name alongside racing royalty and is set to meet stiff competition in the years ahead.
“That is some company to be up there with Vincent O’Brien. He is a legend of legends in the game. To be lucky enough to be mentioned in the same breath as him is just off the charts,” Mullins told BBC Radio 5 Live after the victory. The 69-year-old’s perseverance finally paid off in the British calendar, capping a remarkable era in jump racing.
Mullins had to wait 19 years between his first National win with Hedgehunter in 2005 and I Am Maximus’s first triumph in 2024, and now his team has built a modern-day dynasty with multiple wins across the much-coveted prize. The Grand National once again delivered a chapter of dramatic horse racing history.
