Aintree Saturday

Randox Grand National

A TOTAL of 59,876 racegoers attended Aintree on Saturday to see I Am Maximus (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend) win a new-look Grand National, and while the traditionalists were inclined to grumble, the sight of five horses in the air together at the final fence made for a thrilling spectacle for most observers, and the 7/1 winner stormed home when getting daylight at the elbow having cut every corner under an inspired ride.

Over the last, Minella Indo (Henry de Bromhead) and Latenightpass rose in front with the latter looking the likeliest winner when kicked on by Rachael Blackmore, but he was quickly pressed by Delta Work (Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy), with I Am Maximus angling for room on the inside of that pair.

Townend hand to switch outside Minella Indo to get a run and when he did, he quickened clear in the style of a top-class steeplechaser and passed the post seven and a half lengths clear of Delta Work, who denied Minella Indo second by half a length. Galvin (Gordon Elliott/Sam Ewing) stayed on late to be fourth, the same distance behind.

With lameness ruling out Run Wild Fred and Chambard, only 32 went to post for the Grand National which featured a reduced maximum field, a standing start by design and a shorter run to a re-sited first fence.

All these aspects seemed to work with the only faller in the entire race being Corach Rambler, who unseated at the first fence before falling at the next when jumping loose.

Great success

In all, 21 horses finished the course with only four horses unseating their riders and no official fallers, which will be deemed a great success for the latest incarnation of the great race.

The fences may no longer be fearsome, but the field streaming over the gorse still provides a unique spectacle, and with the first four home all having won previously in Grade 1 company, it must be reported that class came firmly to the fore.

The pace was not a strong one with the result that the majority of the runners were close enough to give hope to their backers at the penultimate fence, but the long run from the last obstacle allowed the best horses to come to the fore.

Biggest disappointment of the race was the early departure of 2023 winner Corach Rambler, who is normally a fast and accurate jumper.

He stumbled a stride after landing at the first, pitching Derek Fox out of the saddle.

The well-fancied Panda Boy seemed to resent Aintree at his first attempt, and lost ground at almost every fence, while 2022 hero Noble Yeats also looked in a mulish mood, and was soon in trouble, very much in contrast to his two previous runs in the contest.

It was a first Grand National triumph for Townend, and a second for Willie Mullins after Hedgehunter (2005) while owner J.P. McManus was striking at Aintree for the third time after Don’t Push It (2010) and Minella Times (2021).

In terms of how the track rode, it’s notable that the first three home were always towards the inside of the track and with no drops on the inner, this route is clearly favoured in the modern race.

Ain’t That A Shame and Latenightpass are a pair who raced wider than ideal, both shaping better than their final placings, particularly the latter, who lost 10 places from the final fence having travelled and jumped well throughout.

Excellent ride

Mullins said: “It was an excellent ride. I had said before the race that we didn’t know how good this horse was, today he showed that he’s better than he had been. I thought he still had a little bit from the handicapper after the Bobbyjo and he’s proved it today.

“Paul was excellent, he kidded him round the inside, he got chopped up a couple of times and probably didn’t jump as clean as he could, but he was looking for the gaps and when he eventually got it, he was all right.

“I could see Paul’s body language and he was happy, so I was happy then. I don’t think I said anything until he got over the last and then I let go. Then I couldn’t stop!

“He’s a tremendous horse. He has his own way of doing things, he’s quirky and immature but he’s learning all the time. Nicky Henderson had him before me and said to me ‘make sure you get him’ and it was fine advice, Nicky could see the talent that he had, and we just had to nurture it. To win an Irish National and an English National is impressive.

“I think he could be a Gold Cup horse, but we don’t know how good he could be because he doesn’t do it at home. He’s quirky, but he has huge ability and until others get the better of him, we won’t know how good he is.”

This win, with the huge added prize money put Willie ahead in the British trainers’ championship, and when that fact was mentioned to him, he replied:

“Are we? “Sandown, Ayr, Perth, wherever we can see a prize - I think we have to go for it now. We needed to have a really good National and we got it. It’s game on I think, isn’t it?”

Have a real go

“I didn’t set out at the start of the season to win the championship. J.P. McManus has asked me for the last two or three years to have a real go at it from the start of the season.

“I always think, just mind how things go on at home rather than spread yourself too thin and come to England every second weekend, and maybe leaving yourself wide open to have a bad season.

“Playing away games, as I call them, takes a lot out of a horse, especially early in the season, and I don’t do much travelling then, because I think you might leave bigger prizes behind, though it’s nice that it’s come together, and we have a really good chance.

“I’m going to have to look at some of the smaller races in Britain now as well, and that’s more difficult. I find the English programme very hard to navigate, and it’s a lot tougher. A lot of it is about handicaps in England and that’s tough on horses. But I’ll let David Casey, who plans most things, get to work on that. He’ll be working overtime for the next fortnight.