THE emphasis throughout the Randox Grand National Meeting was on speed, given the quick conditions.

Picking out the salient RaceIQ data, there is no better place to start than with the big race, which was dominated by the Willie Mullins contingent.

This year’s Grand National won by Nick Rockett was more strongly run than last year. Although the ground was quicker this year, the discrepancy between the finishing times of 21.54s gives us an indication that the pace of the race this year was stronger.

This is reflected in the finishing efforts of the runner-up I Am Maximus. When he won the race in 2024, the steady gallop allowed him to save energy for a fast finish, this time the even gallop saw him staying on rather than quickening.

2024 Finishing Speed Percentage and final two furlongs

I Am Maximus: 110.50% 16.02s / 15.87s

2025 Finishing Speed Percentage and final two furlongs

I Am Maximus: 101.4% 14.45s / 14.58s

Nick Rockett put up an outstanding round of jumping, gaining ground on all his rivals at 24 of the 30 fences. He recorded an above average Race IQ jump index of 8.4 and the data tells us that he was an incredible 27.32 lengths better than I Am Maximus (Race IQ jump index 6.7) over his fences.

Of the vanquished, mention must go to Grangeclare West in third, who jumped well recording a jump index of 8.1, but he lost momentum at the second-last (-6.86mph) and the last (-7.83mph).

Nick Rockett was much quicker, losing just 4.36mph and 4.06mph. Both Hewick and Senior Chief took well to the fences garnering jump index scores of 8.6 and 8.7 respectively.

Career best from Impaire

THE first day of the three-day meeting was the most interesting of the week and four performances produced interesting data. In the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase, Impaire Et Passe put up a career best jumping performance over fences. He recorded a Race IQ jump index of 9.1 with his previous best being at Leopardstown in February, when he was third to Ballyburn with a score of 8.4.

His jumping seems to be improving with experience, and he was clearly suited by the quick conditions. He now has a better career jump index over fences than he had over hurdles.

Impaire Et Passe career jump index

Hurdles: 8.0

Fences: 8.3

Although the ground was a bit quicker on the first day than on the next two, it is still worthy of note that Impaire Et Passe posted 54.94s for the last four furlongs, which was the quickest of any chaser on the Mildmay course at the meeting. He looks to be a chaser to follow now that he has sorted his jumping out and, on decent ground, his speed is a major asset.

THE step up in trip to three miles and a furlong in the Grade 1 Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase, on a sharp track on decent ground, proved to be the perfect storm for Gaelic Warrior.

It was his speed at the trip rather than his jumping that made the difference. His jump index of 7.7 was the lowest of his chasing career, but while such a modest round of jumping would have made a difference over two miles, at this trip he was able to overcome his relative lack of efficiency over the fences with the speed that saw him win an Arkle last year.

He was far too quick for his rivals through the final three furlongs, with the fastest individual splits of 14.13s 13.61s and 14.95s.

This contributed to him recording an FSP of 106.13% compared to 104.29% for the runner-up Grey Dawning.

We know that Gaelic Warrior can jump better than he did here and there is potential for plenty more from him at this trip.

The King George at Kempton is an obvious target.

ANYONE who doubts that Lossiemouth would have won one or both the last two Champion Hurdles and that she needs two and a half miles, may not be pleased with the data from the Grade 1 William Hill Aintree Hurdle.

She clearly stays two and a half miles, but she won this race because of her speed, which would have made Constitution Hill pull out all the stops had he not crashed out at the second-last.

Lossiemouth recorded an FSP of 110.36%, which was the highest at the meeting. Her top speed of 36.22mph, produced in the penultimate furlong, was also the fastest at the meeting through the final mile of a race.

Her jumping was not as good as it can be. Her RaceIQ jump index of 7.4 is below her career record of 7.7 and she gave away (-1.67) lengths to the field with her jumping.

This modest round of jumping did not matter though, as she flew up the home straight with sectionals that got progressively faster through four of the final five furlongs as displayed below.

F15: 14.20s

F16: 13.84s

F17: 13.82s

F18: 13.27s

F19: 12.80s

F20: 13.44s

Such sustained speed could have seen her win a Champion Hurdle and maybe it still can.

Jonbon just lasts it out

JONBON was back in the winner’s enclosure in this small field Grade 1 My Pension Expert Melling Chase, which proved to be an attritional test at the trip.

His 18 career wins have been achieved in fields where the average number of runners has been 5.88, such a scenario clearly suiting him. Visually, he looked to be tired in the final furlong (16.36s) and the data backs up the visuals here, with him recording the lowest FSP at the meeting of 97.31%.

He was tired in the final two furlongs, having forced a strong gallop from just after halfway and Protektorat in second place recorded faster splits than Jonbon through the final two furlongs.

Final Two Furlong splits

Jonbon: 14.68s / 16.36s

Protektorat: 14.43s / 16.19s

Jonbon has had a tremendously consistent and successful career with 10 Grade 1 wins to his name, and this is even more remarkable given that the data suggests he is just an average jumper of a fence. His Race IQ career index is just above average at 7.5 and he was only slightly better than that here, recording a 7.7. Nonetheless, he emerged as the best jumper in the race with his three rivals far from fluent.

The disappointment of the race was El Fabiolo who once again failed to jump well. His career jump index of 7.1 is modest and with mistakes at the first two fences, where he lost 3.2 lengths on the field, it was of little surprise that he fell at the 11th. All eight of his career wins have been obtained over two miles on slower ground than he faced here, but even if we were to see him racing back under his optimum conditions, his jumping needs to improve markedly.