I Am Maximus primed for another shot at Grand National glory after Willie Mullins receives a glowing appraisal from jockey Paul Townend

• I Am Maximus is currently among the favourites for the 2025 Grand National
• The French gelding won the famous National Hunt race at Aintree last year
• Paul Townend has told Willie Mullins he is ‘very happy’ with I Am Maximus

By DOMINIC KING

Willie Mullins has received a glowing appraisal from Paul Townend ahead of I Am Maximus’s attempt to join an exclusive club as he readied his battalion for the Randox Grand National.

Mullins was able to mount a successful challenge for the British Trainers Championship 12 months ago thanks to three brilliant days at Aintree that culminated in I Am Maximus justifying 7/1 favouritism under Townend in the great race.

I Am Maximus has not shown much sign of life in two runs so far this season, as he was pulled at Leopardstown at Christmas then finished eighth of 10 in the Irish Gold Cup; both those races were won by Galopin Des Champs and, on each occasion, he was ridden by Jody McGarvey.

But Townend will be back in the saddle next Saturday at Aintree – he was instrumental in the gelding’s thumping victory last April – and a piece of work which got the thumbs up from Townend at Mullins’s Closutton base over the weekend indicated that I Am Maximus is in the right shape in his quest to potential the last dual-winner Tiger Roll.

‘All out horses, if they get in the National, will run,’ said Mullins, who has seven entries. ‘I Am Maximus, Nick Rockett, Meetingofthewaters – they all did their last pieces of work on Saturday and we are very happy with them all.

Jockey Paul Townend rode I Am Maximus to Grand National glory at Aintree in April last year

Townend pictured celebrating last year’s win on I Am Maximus with trainer Willie Mullins (left)

‘Paul is very happy with I Am Maximus. He got down from him with a big smile on his face after the piece of work and that means he is back to where Paul wants him.

‘There is no Inothewayurthinkin (winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup) to worry about but I am sure there will be something else. Whatever happens, it is shaping up to be a great race.’

Nicky Henderson, meanwhile, has cast doubt on whether Sir Gino – his brilliant novice chaser – will race again as he continues his slow rehabilitation from the infection that ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival and almost claimed the five-year-old’s life.

‘It’s not guaranteed he will come back, by any means,’ said Henderson, who will aim to win the Grand National for the first time with his entries Hyland and Chantry House. His team for Liverpool will be headed by Constitution Hill in Thursday’s Aintree Hurdle.

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I Am Maximus primed for another shot at Grand National glory after Willie Mullins receives a glowing appraisal from jockey Paul Townend

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