The Grand National weights for 2025 have today been revealed, with last year’s winner, I Am Maximus, sitting at the top of the weights and with a huge task ahead of him.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the plan for this horse has been to come back and try to win the race again, there’s no change to that plan, but his task certainly looks a lot tougher now his weight has been confirmed.
Alloted the top weight of 11st 12lb, the Mullins runner will have to carry 8lb more than he did to succeed last year, and while that was an impressive win, this certainly makes it a lot tougher.
There’s every chance that he’s up at the top of his weights alone, too, because it would be no surprise to see many of the runners directly below him, withdrawn from the race with an eye on other targets, either before or after.
History Could Be Made by I Am Maximus
Should I Am Maximus go to the Grand National and win off this higher weight, he would be making history in recent years.
The new mark of 167 would make him win off the highest mark in the 21st century, and when you consider the quality of some of the recent winners, that’s a very impressive figure. His first win came off the same mark as Tiger Roll when he won his second.
The 167 figure is 1lb higher than what Many Clouds was given for his second Grand National attempt, a horse who, at the time, was seen as good enough for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I Am Maximus would eclipse all of that and cement himself in the record books with a win.
Bookmakers Fancy Repeat Despite Weight Rise
While Willie Mullins appeared to play down the chances of his runner when the weights were revealed, bookmakers haven’t been as quick to rule him out.
He’s single figures at 9/1 with selected bookmakers, showing that he’s fancied to go really well. Take out the weight he has to carry and just look at the fact he’s got an 8lb rise, and I think that’s a fair enough price, he did win very well last season.
But of course, the burden of weight, going round this track for more than four miles, could take its toll on the horse and make a tough task even harder.
We will next see I Am Maximus at the end of this month, when his next target has been confirmed as the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, a race that will take place on February 22.
From there, Team Mullins will take a look at their horse and decide on final plans for the Grand National. It’s a race both Mullins and his horse knows well, I Am Maximus was successful in it last season as his prep run for the National, so going the same route makes a lot of sense.
Mullins has 13 wins in the race, Hedgehunter, his first Grand National winner, also won the race before winning at Aintree, it’s a tried and tested plan from the team.
Now the weights are out, there’s nothing to hide, so let’s hope for a big run in the Bobbyjo, and then the chance to make history at Aintree in April.
