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Paul Townend added a Grand National title to his Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph thanks to a wonderful ride atop I Am Maximus, who stormed to victory down the home straight at Aintree in the biggest horse race in Great Britain.
With new rules in place for the 176th outing of the Grand National, to improve safety for the jockeys and horses taking part, the 32-horse field went off from a standing start. Outsider Glengouly burst forward as they headed to the first fence, where 2023 champion Corach Rambler unseated Derek Fox to blow the race wide open.
I Am Maximus, trained by the legendary Willie Mullins, set off as the 7/1 joint favourite, but was quiet throughout the opening stages of the race, with Townend preferring to hold him in the middle of the field. Up ahead, the pack spread over the course, allowing Glengouly to set the pace as pre-race contenders Limerick Lace and Noble Yeats slipped towards the back, struggling to find their rhythm.
Paul Townend and I Am Maximus waited in the middle of the field over the first circuit (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire) At the Chair, Mahler Mission and Mr Incredible both unseated their riders, as I Am Maximus landed awkwardly, leaving Townend with work to do to get back into contention. Rachael Blackmore, riding previous Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, began to push towards the front with 11 fences left to jump, though she held her mount with some energy in reserve, allowing Kitty’s Light and Latenightpass to sweep into the lead.
Scottish National winner Kitty’s Light would have been a joyous winner for trainer Christian Williams, whose young daughter Betsy is undergoing treatment for leukaemia, but he slipped away on the run to the final fence as the more experienced horses in the pack kicked into gear.
Delta Work, an 11-year-old veteran who knows the Grand National course well, drove into the leading bunch as Blackmore kicked Minella Indo into first place. They leapt into the final straight ahead of the rest and looked to be on course for a triumphant finale, which would have given Blackmore her second victory at the Grand National.
But that wasn’t to be.
Rachael Blackmore and Minella Indo head to the front with one fence left to jump at the Grand National (AFP via Getty) Townend timed his final move superbly, sweeping I Am Maximus past Delta Work before reining in Minella Indo in front of the cheering, sold-out grandstand. The favourite lived up to his tag as his stronger legs took him past Minella Indo, then opened up a sizeable lead ensuring Townend could soak in the adulation from the watching crowd without worrying about the result.
I Am Maximus crossed the finish line with gusto, handing his trainer, Mullins, a second victory in the Grand National and owner JP McManus his third. Delta Work finished second with Minella Indo in third, Galvin came through for fourth, and Kitty’s Light rounded out the top five.
A giddy Townend, who completed a famous double by winning the National and the Gold Cup, explained how he steered I Am Maximus through the closing stages, telling ITV: “What an unbelievable race and an unbelievable horse. It is a bit surreal, to be honest.
“He got careful on the second circuit but I was trying to conserve energy. I didn’t get the clearest run between the second-last and last. I had the ones in front of me in my sights and he responded like I thought he would.
“Gold Cups and Grade Ones are special, but Grand Nationals are different. You need so much luck. I am a lucky boy.”
I Am Maximus came through on the final straight to win the Grand National (Reuters) On the concourse, Mullins was full of praise for both horse and jockey, whose victory has put him on track to become the leading trainer of the year.
“Paul Townend was super on him, the horse wasn’t giving him a lot of help,” said the Irishman. “We saw last year, in the Irish Grand National, we had supreme confidence in the horse that he had a bit in the tank. He was biding his time and he delivered.
“I didn’t say anything until the last fence, but then I let go. I love it, I’m buzzing, it’s huge.”
In total, 21 of the 32 starters finished the race, with I Am Maximus the latest to etch his name into the history books as the triumphant winner of the 2024 Grand National.