WHEN Willie Mullins speaks, you best pay attention. Anyone who was worrying about a major market drift on Allaho ahead of the 2021 Ryanair Chase was given ample reassurance when the champion trainer cheekily responded to Lydia Hislop’s questions on Racing TV: “GSI… Get stuck in.”

Having traded as big as 39/1 on the exchanges for a moment, Cheveley Park’s star chaser went on to serve up a 12-length hammering of his Cheltenham rivals as 3/1 favourite.

Cheltenham viewers were also thrown a worthwhile nugget just before last month’s Champion Hurdle, when Matt Chapman interviewed Mullins on ITV Racing following Lossiemouth’s win in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Right as Chapman was wrapping up the interview, thanking the Closutton maestro for his time, the Cheltenham Festival’s most successful trainer of all time interjected of his own volition to volunteer further insight.

“State Man worked very well in cheekpieces the other day,” he said. “Don’t tell anyone.”

For all that anyone who rowed in behind him wouldn’t have been rewarded on this occasion, the performance of State Man before his luckless final-flight exit looked right up there with his very best. It was a cracking shout from Mullins to anticipate the monster effort, especially considering he was a generally disregarded 12/1 shot on the morning (SP 8/1). What pearls of wisdom does the all-conquering handler have in store for today’s Randox Grand National (4.00)?

It has already been a brilliant week on Merseyside for Britain and Ireland’s champion trainer, bagging four consecutive Grade 1s on day one, as well as another on day two,, and he returns with a team of six challengers for Aintree’s greatest race.

“I Am Maximus disappointed me a couple of times [at Leopardstown this season], but I’m very happy with his homework. I told you that about State Man before Cheltenham and this fellow is in great form,” said Mullins.

Steps taken

“He’s in great shape and I’m very happy with him. I’d love to have got that last run into him, but we couldn’t as he missed the Bobbyjo and we’ve taken steps to get over that I hope. The horse is exactly where I want him.”

That could be ominous talk regarding the reigning Grand National champion.

Irish-trained runners have typically been to the fore in the £1 million feature of late, and one of the leading long-range contenders for this year’s race is the Tom Gibney-trained Intense Raffles.

Irish-dominated finishes in Randox Grand National

2016: 1-3-4-5-6-8

2018: 1-2-3-4-6-8-10

2019: 1-2-3-5-10

2021: 1-2-3-4-5-7-8-9-10-11

2022: 1-2-3-6-7-8-9

2023: 2-3-4-5-6

2024: 1-2-3-4-6-7-9-10-11

Last year’s Irish Grand National hero is said to be firmly on track to deliver his best, having been campaigned conservatively all year to peak this weekend in Liverpool.

“The plan was pretty much hatched the day after he won the Irish National and he didn’t run again over fences until after the weights had come out [in February for Aintree],” said Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

“There was some talk of going for the novice chase at the Punchestown Festival last season, but a good showing there would have affected our handicap mark, so we decided to set our stall out and target Aintree early.

“It might not work and it could all be in vain, but if the handicapper had to reassess him today and after his run in the Bobbyjo [when second to Nick Rockett], he would be a good 6lb or 7lb higher, so we’ve done something right!

“Unfortunately, there’s four and a quarter miles, 30 fences and 33 other rivals before we find out how right, so we’ll have to wait and see. We’ve done our job, it’s now down to J.J. Slevin and the horse to do it on the track on the day.”