Willie Mullins celebrated Grand National glory at Aintree on Saturday as I Am Maximus secured a second triumph in the prestigious steeplechase, with jockey Paul Townend guiding the 10-year-old to redemption following last year’s narrow defeat.
The victory represents sweet vindication for the favourite who finished agonisingly close behind Nick Rockett in 2025’s edition, though the defending champion’s absence through illness cleared the path for I Am Maximus to reclaim the title he first captured in 2024.
Nick Rockett—also trained by Mullins—was withdrawn from Saturday’s 34-runner field after developing a cough, leaving his stablemate to spearhead the Irish trainer’s formidable challenge that included seven other entries in the race.
Mullins’s dominance of the National field underscores his position amongst racing’s elite trainers, with the Irishman deploying nearly a quarter of the entire starting lineup in pursuit of Aintree glory.
I Am Maximus prevailed over other fancied contenders including Panic Attack, whose impressive late-2025 campaign yielded victories in both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Coral Gold Cup, establishing the horse as a serious National threat.
Jagwar represented another significant challenger following his TrustATrader Plate triumph at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, though neither could deny I Am Maximus and Townend their moment of glory.
The win cements I Am Maximus’s status amongst Grand National greats, joining the select group of horses claiming multiple victories in steeplechasing’s most famous race—a feat that has eluded most competitors throughout the event’s storied history.
Townend’s partnership with I Am Maximus has proven remarkably successful across their National campaigns, with the jockey’s tactical nous complementing the horse’s stamina and jumping prowess over Aintree’s demanding 30-fence, four-mile-two-furlong course.
The 2026 edition maintained the Grand National’s tradition as one of British racing’s most watched annual spectacles, with Saturday’s contest drawing substantial crowds to the Merseyside venue alongside global television audiences.
Mullins’s training operation continues demonstrating exceptional depth, with his ability fielding competitive strings across major National Hunt fixtures throughout Britain and Ireland reinforcing his reputation as one of the sport’s pre-eminent figures.
The withdrawal of defending champion Nick Rockett through illness proved particularly unfortunate given the anticipated showdown between Mullins’s two National stars, though I Am Maximus’s victory suggests he may have prevailed regardless.
