I Am Maximus wins 2024 Grand National to secure Willie Mullins's Gold Cup-National double
Paul Townend was fortunate on the 13th try when he maneuvered I Am Maximus to the finish line with a flawless performance, achieving a milestone in Grand National history for himself and trainer Willie Mullins.
This is the initial time in 19 years that a jockey has attained victory at both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree in the same year.
"I got third place in the National last year, and it was my greatest achievement," Townend said. "And now, this victory is just incredible. This race is something that you dream of doing ever since you were a child and it feels amazing to finally achieve it."
This race had fewer participants than usual because the event organizers wanted to make sure the horses didn't get too excited at the beginning. Only 34 horses were originally supposed to participate, but two of them, Chambard and Run Wild Fred, didn't show up, leaving only 32 horses in the race, which is the smallest number of entries in 25 years.
The precautions appeared to be effective because the National didn't cause any horse deaths for the first time since 2018. There was only one mishap involving Corach Rambler, who fell after becoming loose while trying to jump the second fence. The horse was the co-favourite this year and won last year, but it lost its rider, Davy Russell, at the first fence.
Townend was riding on another horse who, along with Glengouly, was a favourite to win. However, it wasn't immediately clear because Townend was taking his time. The horse was from Willie Mullins' stable and belonged to JP McManus, a known Irish winner. Glengouly took the lead for much of the early part of the race's first round, with I Am Maximus following closely behind. But at the Chair on the first lap, I Am Maximus stumbled.
Mullins expressed his belief that Paul would let loose and make a quick escape. Paul later disclosed to Mullins that he was only exerting the necessary effort to clear the fences and even made a few small contact with a couple of them. This strategy would be more effective for conquering Aintree than making grandiose jumps that deplete stamina. Nonetheless, Mullins admitted to feeling concerned.
Nevertheless, Townend took back the reins soon enough. "After making an error at the Chair, which hindered his speed, I was careful not to rush him back into action," he clarified.
As the race came to a close, the horse was still far behind the other contenders. When he leaped over the last fence, there were already five horses leading. However, as he reached the curve of the course and headed towards the final stretch, he had managed to move up to third position. This is when the horse suddenly accelerated and managed to pull ahead by a substantial margin, winning the race by seven and a half lengths.
"Only a few horses accelerate at the Elbow and reach the finish line quickly," Townend remarked. "We were aware of the horse's potential. It was an impressive performance."
Something that made Mullins start thinking about what's to come.
According to him, the horse is quite unpredictable and has an unusual behavior. Sometimes it jumps to the left, while other times it goes right, making it hard to anticipate its moves. However, he believes that the horse has immense potential. The recent race proved that it has exceptional abilities, and he thinks that it can win the Gold Cup next year. He is confident that the horse possesses the caliber to be a winner.
However, Mullins has other important goals he wants to achieve. His incredible triumph at Cheltenham has given him a significant advantage, making him the frontrunner to claim the British Trainers' Championship by earning more prize money than any other stable throughout the jump racing season.
He expressed his desire to grab the trainer's championship title. This would bring a unique experience for him and winning it would be great. Furthermore, he remarked that not only he but his owners are supporting him to achieve this title.
If he manages to become the title holder, which is highly likely given that he's already £40,000 ahead of his competitors, he will be the first Irish trainer to achieve this feat since Vincent O'Brien did so in 1954. It would be imprudent to gamble against his victory.
