Grand National 2024: I Am Maximus wins thrilling race at Aintree – as it happened (2024)

The Grand National is in rude health. The new-look race provided a thrilling spectacle with umpteen horses in with a chance in the closing stages and with the first four home all Grade One-winning chasers. It was everything those in charge at Aintree could have wished for with the only concern after the race for Mac Tottie, who was treated for dehydration and taken away for further assistance in the horse ambulance. There are, of course, still the nagging issues of the paucity of top-class chasers in this country and it was a mighty shame that Corach Rambler, last year’s winner, didn’t get the chance to show what he was capable of after unshipping Derek Fox at the first. There is plenty of reform needed to the overall shape of the jumps season with two trainers dominating the scene and small fields too much in evidence but whichever way you look at it the National of 2024 was a huge success on the day. Good night and hope you ended up winning some hard earned cash.

1 Horaces Pearl (C Brace) 14-1
2 Tripoli Flyer (P J Brennan) 13-2
3 Good And Clever (James Bowen) 14-1
18 ran
Also: 15-8 Fav Mister Meggit, 15-2 Valgrand 4th
Non Runner: 19

And they’re off … it’s a bunched field as they go on their way. Horaces Pearl (my fancy) is right at the back and Wellington Arch leads as they go out “into the country” with a circuit to go … they are going very steady which will suit Horace … Good And Clever is up with the leaders …Mister Meggit has stumbled badly … Tripoli Flyer kicks clear but here comes Horaces Pearl who gets there close home!! Don’t say I didn’t tell you!

• Mister Meggit 2/1

• Ma Shantou 6/1

• Tripoli Flyer 13/2

• Castle Ivers 8/1

• No Questions Asked 9/1

• Valgrand 9/1

• Good And Clever 11/1

• Horaces Pearl 14/1

• Sorceleur 14/1

• Electric Mason 16/1

• I’m A Lumberjack 16/1

• Got A Dream 25/1

• Leech 33/1

• Tom Doniphon 33/1

• Step Out 33/1

• Malicash 66/1

• Wellington Arch 80/1

• Small Town Hero 80/1

• Odds via BestofBets.com

If the Grade One at 5pm was a little bit after the Lord Mayor’s show, this one is going to be run as thousands of racegoers are already pouring out of the gates. There’s nearly £30,000 to the winner, though, and Castle Ivers is a bit of an eye-catcher at the prices as he stopped the clock in a decent time when winning at Wetherby last month.

SELECTION: CASTLE IVERS

1 Found A Fifty (J W Kennedy) 11-8 Fav
2 Master Chewy (Thomas Bellamy) 10-1
3 Libberty Hunter (H Cobden) 33-1
10 ran

And they’re off … alarming incident at the start as Matata veers across the field as they set off … they do all head off though and Quilixios is the early leader … he still leads with Nickle Back challenging as they start the turn for home and the fourth-last … Found A Fifty is going well … is it just a matter of time? It was … Found A Fifty takes the lead at the last but in the end only just holds on from the very brave Master Chewy.

• Found A Fifty 11/8

• Hercule Du Seuil 4/1

• Etalon 7/1

• Master Chewy 8/1

• Nickle Back 9/1

• Djelo 16/1

• Matata 16/1

• Quilixios 16/1

• Libberty Hunter 28/1

• Silent Approach 80/1

• Odds via BestofBets.com

The decision to move the Grand National from 5.15 to 4pm has left this Grade One event in something of a graveyard slot, but it is an interesting race that has been won by Jonbon and Shishkin, among other notable names, in the recent past. It also has a £65,000 first prize that, win or lose in the National, Willie Mullins will be keen to bag with Hercule Du Seuil. He looks ready for this step up to Grade One company after running up a sequence in lesser events, and does not need to find much improvement to get the better of Found A Fifty, the likely favourite, who is admirably consistent but has found one rival too good in two of his three Grade One starts.

SELECTION: HERCULE DU SEUIL

Thanks to Barry Glendenning for that superb effort taking you through the Grand National. It’s me Tony back on board and I still can’t believe Barry’s not related to Raymond Glendenning, the famous BBC commentator. There is clearly a resemblance!

Irish trainer Willie Mullins continued his domination of jump racing, sending out the well-backed 7-1 joint-favourite I Am Maximus to win the big race at Aintree.

“I think Paul was super on him,” the winning trainer tells ITV. “The horse, I think, wasn’t giving him a lot of help a lot of the way around. We have that confidence in the horse that he always has that bit extra in the tank and you could see Paul biding his time and waiting to mount his challenge as they approached the second last. It was a great delivery.”

We had 21 finishers. Here’s what happened to those who didn’t complete the race.

Chemical Energy: pulled up
Corach Rambler: unseated rider
Farouk D’Alene: pulled up
Foxy Jacks: pulled up
Glengouly: unseated rider
Janidil: pulled up
Mac Tottie: pulled up
Mahler Mission: unseated rider
Minella Crooner: pulled up
Mr Incredible: unseated rider
Stattler: pulled up

The winner poses for the cameras: As his name suggests, I Am Maximus cuts an imposing figure and he looks barely out of breath as he “enjoys” the post-race celebrations with a look of lofty equine disdain.

A triumphant return: Paul Townend and the well-backed I Am Maximus return to a heroes welcome, to be greeted by trainer Willie Mullins and the winning owner, JP McManus.

1 I Am Maximus (P Townend) 7-1 Jt Fav
2 Delta Work (J W Kennedy) 28-1
3 Minella Indo (Rachael Blackmore) 28-1
4 Galvin (Sam Ewing) 40-1
32 ran
Also: 7-1 Jt Fav Limerick Lace
Non Runners: 19,33

An incredible race: There were about 15 horses in contention as the horses cleared the last fence and it looked like Rachael Blackmore was about to win her second Grand National on Minella Indo. Sadly for her, Paul Townend and I Am Maximus passed and eventually won at their leisure. “I had them well in my sights and I hoped he’d respond the way I wanted him to,” says Townend. “I’m a lucky boy.”

Galia Des Liteaux leads them towards the last and they race towards the Elbow. Minella Indo is passed by I Am Maximus, who wins decisively on the run-in under Paul Townend for Willie Mullins.

Eldorado Allen leads them over the 27th of 30 fences with Latenightpass upsides him … GLengouley unseats his rider … Kitty’s Light is also prominent, as is The Goffer and Galia Des Liteaux ..

Foxy Jacks leads but hits the 20th fence hard and drops back. Mac Tottie is pulled up. Glengouley and Eldorado Allen lead them over Becher’s Brook for the second time …

Glengouly leads. The field jump The Chair and Mr Incredible is one of two fallers at the obstacle. Limerick Lace and Mac Tottie are struggling at the back.

Stattler is pulled up. Noble Yeats drops through the field, while Limerick Lace is jumping like a hairy goat. Glengouly, Foxy Jack and Minella Indo make up the first three as they approach the 13th fence …

Corach Rambler unseats his rider. The defending champions comes a croppper at the first as Foxy Jacks and Glengouley lead the field … I Am Maximus is held up in midfield while Eldorado Allen and Minella Indo are also prominent …

The horses take off from a walking start and get away first time. Mr Incredible, who has form in the field of misbehaving at the start, was held back a little from the rest of the field but is off and running. Limerick Lace is the new favourite

Not long now: The runners and riders are down at the start, the jockeys giving their horses a peep over the first fence so they know what lies ahead.

Aintree gallery: Our award-winning photographer Tom Jenkins has been busy at Aintree this week and you can see the fruits of his labours by clicking on the link below. We’ll be adding more pictures after the big race …

The jockeys are out. Derek Fox, who won the race on Corach Rambler last year, leads out the 32 riders shortly before they are due to get legged-up on their mounts, make their way past the grandstand and canter down to the start. Here’s hoping all involved come back safe and sound.

Nassalam: Josh Moore, assistant trainer of the second horse in the weights is interviewed on ITV Racing. He’d have liked more give in the ground and less weight for the horse, which he thinks is unfairly handicapped.

Some of the horses are taking a turn: The parade ring is pretty crowded and some of the horses are having to pause and take a turn in the hands of their grooms to avoid bumping into each other. They all seem to be taking it in their stride.

The horses are in the parade ring: The camera cuts to Noble Yeats, who is a tiny horse. Don’t let that put you off – Seagram, who won the Grand National in 1991 under Nigel Hawke, was a conspicuously small horse.

Lucinda Russell on Corach Rambler: “He arrived last night and he loves this place,” the trainer says of her defending champion. “He’s in great form and he seems super. We’re looking forward to it for us and for him. He looks ripped and I want him to be historic, so I hope he wins again.”