Mullins eyes slice of National history with I Am Maximus
ROARING SUCCESS: Paul Townend shouts for joy after partnering I Am Maximus to victory in the Grand National last April. All roads lead back to Aintree this season. Picture: Healy Racing
Willie Mullins could think of nothing better than seeing I Am Maximus join the legendary Red Rum in the Grand National record books by landing a third victory in the Randox-sponsored showpiece at Aintree next April.
The JP McManus-owned 10-year-old won the race in 2024, finished second 12 months later behind stablemate Nick Rockett and then regained his crown in 2026.
Now Mullins is plotting a third victory, a feat achieved only by Red Rum in the race’s illustrious history, insisting nothing would give him greater satisfaction than joining Ginger McCain at the pinnacle on the 50th anniversary of Red Rum’s third and final win in 1977.
“I would like nothing better than to be up in the same place [as Ginger McCain] — the trainer of one horse that won three Grand Nationals. And it would be tremendous to think that this fellow could be up in the same sort of cloud that Red Rum is considered to be,” Mullins said.
“Who could ever forget Red Rum and Crisp in the 1973 Grand National? What a fantastic horse race it was on the day. It was just exhilarating stuff to watch Crisp and then Red Rum snatched it off him. But Red Rum went on and won it with 12st in 1974.
“We will keep it simple, keep a routine, and hopefully he might be lucky enough to get a third Grand National.
“He’s a good jumper, he’s intelligent and he loves the place. He just really adapts to those type of fences. Paul [Townend, jockey] gets on well with him too and it’s a serious combination.
“All being well, we can get him there in the same sort of order.”
Red Rum, who was famously trained from behind a car showroom in Southport and exercised on the beach by McCain, won the Aintree spectacular in 1973 and 1974, finished runner-up in 1975 and 1976 but returned in 1977 to storm his way into the history books as a 12-year-old.
Since then only two horses have won the Grand National more than once, Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019 and I Am Maximus in 2024 and 2026.
Mullins reported his stable star has returned to Closutton after a well-deserved summer break but insisted the hard work on the way to the £1m marathon on April 10 starts now.
“I Am Maximus has come in from grass very well. I am very pleased with him. He’s going through all his pre-season work good and taking it well. He looks good and strong,” said Mullins.
“His route to the Grand National, I suppose, will be the same as last year. Probably the John Durkan (Punchestown, November 22), then going for the Savills (Leopardstown, December 28) at Christmas, then the Irish Gold Cup (Leopardstown, January 30) at the Dublin Racing Festival, and then on to Aintree.”
