Willie Mullins set to field strong Grand National team again - but it's not last year's winner who catches his eye at the weights

Willie Mullins is looking forward to I Am Maximus’s bid for another Randox Grand National but admitted his eye was caught by Meetingofthewaters, who was halved in price after the weights were revealed on Tuesday.

The champion trainer won the Aintree showpiece for the second time in 2024 when I Am Maximus scored by a decisive seven a half lengths and JP McManus’s nine-year-old will head the handicap on his return in April, when he will bid to become the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Roll and the first to defy top weight since L’Escargot in 1975.

Mullins said: “Hopefully he'll go back and be as good as last year. I thought coming away last year that I had a Gold Cup horse then JP discussed it with me and thought he wouldn’t get much more weight than he had last year and he loves the track. So we set out this year to come back to Aintree.

“My only worry would be sometimes a horse second time at Aintree doesn't like it. But I Am Maximus looked to love it last year. He had a lot of things go right for him last year. Everything has gone well enough for him this year and he’ll probably have one more run in the Bobbyjo.”

I Am Maximus: last year's winner heads the handicap for the Aintree highlightCredit: Michael Steele

Mullins has ten entries in a race he won for the first time with Hedgehunter in 2005, including last year's seventh Meetingofthewaters. The eight-year-old, also owned by McManus, halved in price from 50-1 into 25-1 with Ladbrokes for Aintree, where I Am Maximus’s presence would keep his weight down to 10st 7lb.

“He’s one I like,” Mullins said. “My eye was drawn to him when I saw his weight. Last year he was looking almost like the winner coming to the second-last, he was certainly going well within himself. He’s a year older and stronger and he has a lovely racing weight.”

Irish Gold Cup runner-up Grangeclare West (11st 8lb) is the joint-second highest-weighted of Mullins' team, but the nine-year-old needs to run again to qualify as he has competed in only five chases.

“I was very pleased with his run at Leopardstown," the trainer said. "However, he paid the penalty by being raised in the weights so it’s going to be tougher, but he might take his chance."

Willie Mullins: has ten entries in the race he won last yuearCredit: John Grossick

Nick Rockett (also 11st 8lb) won the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park last month and Mullins said: "I thought he was very good winning the Thyestes and that’s always a very good pointer towards the National, so hopefully he’ll take up the engagement.”

Appreciate It, Capodanno and Minella Cocooner have all been set to carry 11st 2lb. Mullins said: "Appreciate It showed a nice change of form on nice ground at Thurles. Aintree ground is usually lovely so he has his chance and plenty of 11-year-olds have won not long ago.

"Capodanno was running a good race last year. The handicapper’s given him a chance and he jumps those fences no problem. Minella Cocooner jumps well. He won the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last year. It’s going to be a tough assignment to win another big handicap but he’ll take his chance.”

Three-time winner Gordon Elliott has 13 entries, including last year's second Delta Work (11st 2lb) and fourth Galvin (10st 13lb).

Gordon Elliott: has 13 entries in this year's Grand NationalCredit: Patrick McCann

"We'll probably end up with five or six in it," said the trainer, who has struck with Silver Birch (2007) and Tiger Roll (2018 and 2019).

"Delta Work has had a good preparation, he runs off the same mark as last year, but I thought he'd maybe be a little bit lower. He showed a nice bit of zest the last day at Cheltenham so I'm really looking forward to it.

"Galvin ran a great race in it last year, he came home very strong. If the ground came up the drier side he could have a big chance."

McManus has nine entries in a race he has won three times, with Inothewayurthinking and Iroko among those vying for favouritism. But Sir Anthony McCoy, who won the race in his colours on Don’t Push It and is now one of the owner's racing managers, is convinced I Am Maximus is his best hope.

“He’s been there, done it and got the T shirt,” the former champion jockey said. “It will take a good horse to take that T shirt off him.”

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

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