I Am Maximus is trained by Willie Mullins and owned by JP McManus
Cork Jockey Paul Townend on I Am Maximus after winning the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase at Aintree. He became only the second jockey in history to win all of the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Grand National in the same year 94 years after Tommy Cullinan did it in 1930. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
SAT, 13 APR, 2024 – 16:45
PJ BROWNE (Irish Examiner)
Cork jockey Paul Townend said it was a “surreal” feeling to win the Aintree Grand National for the first time.
Townend, who was having his 13th ride in the famous race, claimed victory on the Willie Mullins-trained and JP McManus-owned I Am Maximus, the 7/1 joint favourite.
“It was an unbelievable race, an unbelievable horse. It’s a bit surreal,” Townend told ITV.
“I ended up being first down to the first to give him a look. I got to the Melling Road and he started backing off it. I said it wasn’t a great start.
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“The volume of horses pushing down over the first three… He got a little careful on the second circuit. I was trying to conserve as much as I could.
“We didn’t get the clearest run from the second last to the last but it kind of helped me. I had a feeling that when I got him out, he was going to start motoring in the clear air, and he did.”
As I Am Maximus jumped the last, there appeared to be eight or so horses in with a chance of winning.
“The ones in front of me, I’m sure they weren’t looking for me,” said Townend.
“I had them well in my sights. I was hoping he’d respond like I thought he would.
“Gold Cups are Gold Cups, Grade Ones are hard to win, but Grand Nationals are just a bit different. You need so much luck.”
Townend became only the second jockey in history to win all of the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Grand National in the same year 94 years after Tommy Cullinan did it in 1930.
It was owner JP McManus’s 3rd Grand National win.
It was Mullins’s second victory in the race, adding to Hedgehunter’s win in 2005.
“Paul was super on him because the horse wasn’t giving him a lot of help a lot of the way around,” said Mullins.
“I could see him minding him. We saw all that last year in the Irish Grand National. He has supreme confidence in the horse that he always has that bit in the tank.
“When he was cut off going to the second last to the last, you could see him coming out around and just biding his time wait for his chance and he delivered.”
