I Am Maximus, winner of the Randox Grand Nationwide in 2024 and second final season, heads the weights for this 12 months’s Aintree spectacular.
The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old has been allotted 11st 12lb for the world’s biggest steeplechase on April 11, having discovered solely stablemate Nick Rockett too robust in his bid to hitch the elite checklist of a number of winners.
This season his marketing campaign has been extra simple and his runner-up effort within the Savills Chase at Christmas was arguably a profession finest. The identical can’t be stated of Nick Rockett (11st 11lb) who has had a few setbacks stopping him from operating up to now.
Different Mullins runners in direction of the pinnacle of the weights embody final 12 months’s third Grangeclare West (11st 10lb), Impaire Et Passe (11st 5lb), Spanish Harlem (11st 3lb) and Lecky Watson (11st 2lb).
Final season’s King George winner Banbridge (11st 11lb), Gerri Colombe (11st 10lb), Gray Dawning (11st 10lb) and Haiti Couleurs (11st 10lb) are additionally in direction of the highest of the checklist.
The present favorite is the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero-trained Iroko. Fourth as a seven-year-old 12 months in the past when favorite, he has been allotted 11st 1lb.
“We might like a bit much less, however we’ll take that, undoubtedly!” stated Guerriero.
“It is simply irritating that we have simply snuck up a pair (of kilos) because the Firefox run (Iroko beat Firefox at Ascot in December). I really feel like they’ve stolen these two off us, however we will not do a lot about that.
“He looks like he is improved extra at dwelling than he is gone up, to me, so he is bought a stunning weight and is assured a run. I simply pray that it is softer floor. He is in nice type. This season, since he is had his wind op, he appears loads higher and straighter and happier.
“I am undecided whether or not we’ll Kelso or Cheltenham but, however another run and we’ll be there. We opted in opposition to going to Kempton (for the Ladbrokes Trophy this weekend). Simply chatting with JP (McManus, proprietor) there, he’d slightly not.
“I feel the most definitely choice is that we’ll go to Kelso once more. It appeared to work final 12 months, though from the Ultima to the Grand Nationwide is 4 and a half weeks which is sufficient time as nicely. I’d actually fancy him in that, however I feel we have to go the best route actually, which might be going to be Kelso.”
The yard may have one other professional contender in Jagwar (10st 10lb) if he can end within the first 4 in a race in extra of two miles and 7 and a half furlongs.
Guerriero stated: “Jagwar’s solely a possibly. He would possibly find yourself within the Ultima at Cheltenham and that may resolve for us what occurs. It was a little bit of a back-up entry for him, Aintree.
“He is run two sensible races (at Cheltenham). I am not satisfied he is fairly been 100 per cent but this season – he appears to be coming good now, however he was enhancing so fast final 12 months that his enchancment’s simply slowed down a bit.”
British Horseracing Authority handicapper Martin Greenwood believes the category within the race now involves the fore.
“Final 12 months, the primary three horses dwelling have been all rated 160-plus, and the Randox Grand Nationwide is the highest-class handicap of the season,” stated Greenwood, who seems stuffed with admiration for I Am Maximus.
“The 2024 winner I Am Maximus is barely 1lb increased than final 12 months at 168 and if profitable for a second time on April 11 that might nearly actually be the very best mark a horse has received off within the trendy period. Neptune Collonges was rated 168 after he received the Grand Nationwide in 2012 and Suny Bay was second off of 170 in 1998.
“For I Am Maximus to be second off 167 final 12 months was one of many nice trendy performances within the Grand Nationwide and up there with Tiger Roll’s second win in 2019.”
