THE star of the show arrived in style for his homecoming in Bagenalstown on Monday evening, a couple of minutes late, and was driven straight into a cordoned-off area of the Lord Bagenal car park to a sustained round of applause from the locals, writes Claire Barry.

Without a doubt, I Am Maximus was the main attraction and wherever he went, a smiling and relaxed Willie Mullins was at his shoulder. Back on home ground, the trainer was on first-name terms with all the well-wishers.

I Am Maximus looked a picture and remained mostly calm amid the hubbub. He pricked his ears, looked at his audience and a multitude of camera phones and young children were immediately held aloft to capture the moment. An elderly couple from Inistioge had made the journey to see the 2024 Randox Grand National winner and they came away happy with the memory alone.

A collie dog barked his appreciation and one woman joked: “We’re back here again!” They’re becoming accustomed to getting up close and personal with big race winners from the Closutton stable by now, having been treated to similar victory parades by the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winning pair of Galopin Des Champs and Al Boum Photo.

The feeling is mutual with many people commenting on how good Willie Mullins and his staff are to support the local business community in the village. As I Am Maximus was led through the meandering main street, down to the bridge he passed by P.J. Doran’s electrical and hardware shop.

The business is now run by P.J.’s son Michael, who put up the bunting and printed up small posters of their ‘Simply the best’ Aintree hero that morning for residents to put in their windows.

He said: “Willie’s great for the village and he’s not a stranger here either. He and the stable staff are great to support the local shops and you can’t help but get caught up in the excitement. I’m even getting to know the names of the horses now!”

Appreciated

Michael has a photograph of his late father with Al Boum Photo, and Willie made sure to stop outside the shop with I Am Maximus for posterity, a gesture much appreciated by the owner and his 18-year-old son Frank. “He’s an exceptional trainer and a nice man, very obliging.”

Everyone loves a local winner and they start early in Bagenalstown, with four-year-old Freya and 18-month-old Emilia joining in the celebrations, together with their mother Carol-Anne Crosbie, who is “looking into equine therapy to help with Freya’s autism. We’re hoping to start it soon.”

The ultra-stylish Faith Amond, mother of Bubba and Ian, enjoyed her visit to Aintree and was on hand, as was Imran Haider, who looked after Al Boum Photo for the first of his Gold Cups.

He has worked for Mullins for 20 years and was there with his three young children, all waving flags. David Porter, meanwhile, is one of the yard’s regular box drivers but he watched the big race in a betting shop in Ballsbridge, explaining: “I went to the Aviva to see my cousin Andrew Porter play rugby for Leinster against La Rochelle and the two things were happening on the same day. Willie really put the cat among the pigeons by winning the National with I Am Maximus before Leinster did the same.”

Suddenly, in a matter of minutes the crowds had cleared away, by which time only Paul Townend, Willie Mullins and a few others were left in the car park. I Am Maximus had kindly left his calling card on the tarmac, ready to be scooped up by a keen rose-grower on the other side of the street and his jockey was in thoughtful mood.

“I’m living up here longer than I did in Cork and it’s great to see so many people come out and support us. David [Casey] is a big addition to the yard, being in there every day, so he knows the horses and Ruby [Walsh] is only a phone call away – that level of experience is massive to have.”

Mullins, meanwhile, was still on cloud nine. He said: “It’s hard to come down to earth after winning the National. It’s one of those things that keeps you floating for a while and, with the staff we have, the horses and the owners, it’s amazing how they all seem to gel together.”

Today it’s on to Ayr in search of Scottish Grand National glory. As one woman so rightly said to another at the start of the evening; “They’ll have to parade Willie if he wins the [British trainers’] championship!”