I Am Maximus heads the weights for another Grand National

I Am Maximus, winner of the Randox Grand National in 2024 and second last season, heads the weights for this year’s Aintree spectacular.

The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old has been allotted 11st 12lb for the world’s greatest steeplechase on April 11, having found only stablemate Nick Rockett too strong in his bid to join the elite list of multiple winners.

This season his campaign has been more straightforward and his runner-up effort in the Savills Chase at Christmas was arguably a career best. The same cannot be said of Nick Rockett (11st 11lb) who has had a couple of setbacks preventing him from running to date.

Other Mullins runners towards the head of the weights include last year’s third Grangeclare West (11st 10lb), Impaire Et Passe (11st 5lb), Spanish Harlem (11st 3lb) and Lecky Watson (11st 2lb).

Last season’s King George winner Banbridge (11st 11lb), Gerri Colombe (11st 10lb), Grey Dawning (11st 10lb) and Haiti Couleurs (11st 10lb) are also towards the top of the list.

The current favourite is the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero-trained Iroko. Fourth as a seven-year-old 12 months ago when favourite, he has been allotted 11st 1lb.

“We’d like a bit less, but we’ll take that, definitely!” said Guerriero.

“It’s just frustrating that we’ve just snuck up a couple (of pounds) since the Firefox run (Iroko beat Firefox at Ascot in December). I feel like they’ve stolen those two off us, but we can’t do much about that.

“He seems like he’s improved more at home than he’s gone up, to me, so he’s got a lovely weight and is guaranteed a run. I just pray that it’s softer ground. He’s in great form. This season, since he’s had his wind op, he seems a lot better and straighter and happier.

“I’m not sure whether we’re going to Kelso or Cheltenham yet, but one more run and we’ll be there. We opted against going to Kempton (for the Ladbrokes Trophy this weekend). Just speaking to JP (McManus, owner) there, he’d rather not.

“I think the most likely option is that we’ll go to Kelso again. It seemed to work last year, although from the Ultima to the Grand National is four and a half weeks which is enough time as well. I would really fancy him in that, but I think we’ve got to go the easiest route really, which is probably going to be Kelso.”

The yard could have another legitimate contender in Jagwar (10st 10lb) if he can finish in the first four in a race in excess of two miles and seven and a half furlongs.

Guerriero said: “Jagwar’s only a maybe. He might end up in the Ultima at Cheltenham and that might decide for us what happens. It was a bit of a back-up entry for him, Aintree.

“He’s run two brilliant races (at Cheltenham). I’m not convinced he’s quite been 100 per cent yet this season – he seems to be coming good now, but he was improving so quick last year that his improvement’s just slowed down a bit.”

British Horseracing Authority handicapper Martin Greenwood believes the class in the race now comes to the fore.

“Last year, the first three horses home were all rated 160-plus, and the Randox Grand National is the highest-class handicap of the season,” said Greenwood, who appears full of admiration for I Am Maximus.

“The 2024 winner I Am Maximus is only 1lb higher than last year at 168 and if successful for a second time on April 11 that would almost certainly be the highest mark a horse has won off in the modern era. Neptune Collonges was rated 168 after he won the Grand National in 2012 and Suny Bay was second off of 170 in 1998.

“For I Am Maximus to be second off 167 last year was one of the great modern performances in the Grand National and up there with Tiger Roll’s second win in 2019.”