I Am Maximus facing 'tough' task in repeat Grand National bid as weights are unveiled

Willie Mullins admitted it will be "tough" for I Am Maximus to record back-to-back Grand National wins after he was made topweight for the April 5 showpiece.

I Am Maximus will have to carry 8lb more than when storming to an impressive victory in last year's Aintree contest under Paul Townend as he was allotted the top weight of 11st 12lb when the weights were unveiled on Tuesday. 

The final horse guaranteed a start is Senior Chief. Trained by Henry de Bromhead, he is 33rd on the list with a weight of 10st 10lb and a rating of 151. The maximum field size is 34 and, as it stands, one of the runners allotted 10st 9lb would make the field, depending on who has the highest rating in the week of the race.

Other key runners include the Venetia Williams-trained duo Royale Pagaille (second in line, 11st 9lb, 164) and L'Homme Presse (fifth, 11lb 8lb, 163), with the latter a possible for this weekend's Ascot Chase.

Last year's second and 2022 third Delta Work is 16th on the list with a weight of 11st 2lb and rating of 157, while last year's third, the 2021 Gold Cup hero Minella Indo, is in 12th position off 11st 3lb and 158. 

Despite a significant rise in the weights and a new rating of 167, I Am Maximus is as short as 9-1 to land back-to-back runnings. Tiger Roll was the last to achieve the feat in 2018 and 2019.

“It was huge to win it last year for the second time – I felt very spoilt winning a second Grand National," Mullins said. "It’s topweight and it’s tough but we had an idea that it would be tough. He’ll probably run in the Bobbyjo and we’ll see how he is.

"He likes the track. Sometimes when horses go back a second time they don’t like it and we’ve got all that to take into account. Horses go round it once and the second time it can be different, but he had a good experience last year and I’m hoping that it won’t be a problem."

I Am Maximus will bid to leave this season's form behind when he bids to retain his crown in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on February 22, as he has been pulled up and finished eighth of ten in just two starts this campaign.

I Am Maximus pictured winning last year's Bobbyjo Chase at FairyhouseCredit: Patrick McCann

The Fairyhouse race, which is named after the 1999 Grand National winner, is often a good guide to the Grand National, as evidenced last year when I Am Maximus defeated Vanillier by 14 lengths.

Mullins has won the Bobbyjo 13 times, more than any other trainer, including with Hedgehunter, who won it before going on to become his first Grand National hero in 2005.

BHA handicapper Martin Greenwood framed this year's weights and used former Grand National winners Many Clouds and Tiger Roll to contextualise the task facing I Am Maximus, who will have a shot at history off his new rating.

He said: "He's on an 8lb higher mark this time around. In 2024, he won off the same mark that Tiger Roll won his second National off of in 2019 – 1lb off the rating of 2015 winner Many Clouds, which was 160.

"Many Clouds ran off 166 the following year and I Am Maximus is 1lb higher than that on 167. So, if he is successful again, he will make history by winning off of the highest mark seen in the 21st century."

Mullins is assembling a strong team as he goes in search of a third Grand National triumph, with Irish Gold Cup runner-up Grangeclare West (fourth in line, 11st 8lb, 163), Thyestes winner Nick Rockett (sixth, 11st 8lb, 163), Appreciate It (13th, 11st 2lb, 157) and Capodanno possible runners (14th, 11st 2lb, 157).

Minella Cocooner and Macdermott, who won last season's bet365 Gold Cup and Scottish Grand National respectively, are also engaged alongside Meetingofthewaters and Horantzau D'Airy.

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Aintree, April 5)

William Hill: 10 Inothewayurthinkin, I Am Maximus, 14 Iroko, 16 Monty's Star, Nick Rockett, Intense Raffles, 20 Minella Cocooner, Stumptown, 25 Kandoo Kid, Perceval Legallois, 33 Meetingofthewaters, Beauport, Vanillier, Monbeg Genius, Three Card Brag, Grangeclare West, Bravemansgame, 40 Galvin, L'homme Presse, Delta Work, Hyland, 50 bar

Full 2025 Randox Grand National weights list

1 I Am Maximus 11st 12lb, 167
2 Royale Pagaille 11st 9lb, 164
3 Envoi Allen 11st 8lb, 163
4 Grangeclare West 11st 8lb, 163
5 L'Homme Presse, 11st 8lb, 163
6 Nick Rockett 11st 8lb, 163
7 Hewick 11st 7lb, 162
8 Gentlemansgame 11st 5lb, 160
9 Inothewayurthinkin 11st 5lb, 160
10 Monty's Star 11st 5lb, 160

11 The Real Whacker, 11st 4lb, 159
12 Minella Indo 11st 3lb, 158
13 Appreciate It 11st 2lb, 157
14 Capodanno 11st 2lb, 157
15 Conflated 11st 2lb, 157
16 Delta Work 11st 2lb, 157
17 Minella Cocooner 11st 2lb, 157
18 Stumptown 11st 2lb, 157
19 Beauport 11st 1lb, 156
20 Hitman 11st 1lb, 156

21 Bravemansgame 11st 0lb, 155
22 Chantry House 10st 13lb, 154
23 Galvin 10st 13lb, 154
24 Perceval Legallois 10st 12lb, 153
25 Threeunderthrufive 10st 12lb, 153
26 Fakir D'Oudairies 10st 11lb, 152
27 Iroko 10st 11lb, 152
28 Kandoo Kid 10st 11lb, 152
29 Trelawne 10st 11lb, 152
30 Idas Boy 10st 10lb, 151

31 Intense Raffles 10st 10lb, 151
32 Limerick Lace 10st 10lb, 151
33 Senior Chief 10st 10lb, 151
34 Broadway Boy 10st 9lb, 150
35 Coko Beach 10st 9lb, 150
36 Farouk D'Alene 10st 9lb, 150
37 Fil Dor 10st 9lb, 150
38 French Dynamite 10st 9lb, 150
39 Mr Incredible 10st 9lb, 150
40 Stay Away Fay 10st 9lb, 150

41 Zanahiyr 10st 9lb, 150
42 Pinkerton 10st 8lb, 149
43 Meetingofthewaters 10st 7lb, 148
44 Minella Drama, 10st 7lb, 148
45 Velvet Elvis 10st 7lb, 148
46 Celebre D'Allen 10st 6lb, 147
47 Fontaine Collonges 10st 6lb, 147
48 Horantzau D'Airy 10st 6lb, 147
49 Hyland 10st 6lb, 147
50 Monbeg Genius 10st 6lb, 147

51 Vanillier 10st 6lb, 147
52 Minella Crooner 10st 5lb, 146
53 Quick Wave 10st 5lb, 146
54 Three Card Brag 10st 5lb, 146
55 Twig 10st 5lb, 146
56 Duffle Coat 10st 4lb, 145
57 Roi Mage 10st 4lb, 145
58 Shakem Up'arry 10st 4lb, 145
59 Fantastic Lady 10st 3lb, 144
60 Favori De Champdou 10st 3lb, 144

61 Yeah Man 10st 3lb, 144
62 Chemical Energy 10st 2lb, 143
63 Macdermott 10st 2lb, 143
64 Mister Coffey 10st 2lb, 143
65 Mr Vango 10st 2lb, 143
66 Bronn 10st 1lb, 142
67 Desertmore House 10st 1lb, 142
68 Malina Girl 10st 1lb, 142
69 Richmond Lake 10st 1lb, 142
70 La Renommee 10st 0lb, 141

71 King Turgeon 9st 1l3b, 140
72 Stuzzikini 9st 13lb, 140
73 Cruz Control 9st 12lb, 139
74 Surrey Quest 9st 12lb, 139
75 Apple Away 9st 11lb, 138
76 Busselton 9st 11lb, 138
77 Gevrey 9st 11lb, 138
78 Spanish Harlem 9st 11lb, 138
79 The Goffer 9st 10lb, 137
80 Famous Bridge 9st 9lb, 136

81 Copperhead 9st 7lb, 134
82 Escaria Ten 9st 7lb, 134
83 Where It All Began 9st 7lb, 134
84 Git Maker 9st 6lb, 133
85 Gericault Roque 9st 4lb, 131
86 Pats Fancy 9st 3lb, 130
87 Placenet 9st 3lb, 130

Scratched: Gerri Colombe

Not qualified: Your Own Story, Motu Fareone

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