For the second time in three years, I Am Maximus has won the Aintree Grand National to give trainer Willie Mullins a third consecutive win; the first to accomplish this since the legendary Vincent O’Brien between 1963 and 1965.

I AM MAXIMUS WINS THE RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL FOR A SECOND TIME! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8VrLNR5LJr

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 11, 2026

The horse is also the first top weight to win this race since Red Rum in 1974, though even pre-race, you could have argued, he was the only one that really stood out.

Having come second to stablemate Nick Rockett last year while defending his crown, I Am Maximus with jockey Paul Townend on board proved that he more than has the stamina, while he also made JP McManus the most successful owner in the race’s history.

Well-fancied Iroko came in second, trained by Jonjo O’Neil Jr and Jordans (trained by Ben Jones) came in third at 28/1, while Johnnywho finished in fourth. There were 18 that either pulled up or were fallers, including Grangeclare West who at 9/1 was one of the favourites and another strong contender for Mullins.

Terrific Month For Townend

It’s been a very productive four weeks for Townend; Mullins’ lead jockey, who backed up his victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (which also looked inevitable) atop Gaelic Warrior with this one, having now claimed two major wins this Spring and no doubt will be targeting the Scottish National (which he won two years ago after being victorious in the Aintree Grand National).

Having not had any luck on Impaire Et Passe on Thursday, after the horse fell towards the end and having been involved in weight controversy yesterday, Townend knew he needed to deliver and there were a couple of doubts about whether he would let this affect his ride.

At 10 years of age, there were also questions about whether this was too old for the horse, though he was the favourite for a reason and the conditions certainly seemed to suit him.

Following the end of the race, former Grand National-winning jockey, Davy Russell, revealed: “Unbelievable. Paul Townend was fantastic. He is looking to the skies because he lost his mum a couple of years ago to cancer and he is just a fabulous champion jockey.”

Can I Am Maximus Win Next Year?

There will be many wondering just this and, while it seems unlikely given how old he will be at this point, it is not impossible. However, it will also come down to whether or not Mullins and McManus decide if he is able to handle the course for a fourth year running.

In a race this year where 34 runners were involved, there were also a considerable number of fallers, including some veterans and it would be a shame for such a great horse to struggle with the fences should he go out again.

His quality and stamina are not in doubt, though whether he can stay in the right condition over the next 12 months is another question. If he does race, it will be interesting to see whether Townend chooses to ride him as well.