I Am Maximus with Cork's Paul Townend on board storms to famous second win in the Grand National 

I Am Maximus became the first horse since Red Rum to regain his crown in the Randox Grand National, as Willie Mullins also became the first trainer since Vincent O’Brien in the 1950s to win three successive editions of the Aintree spectacular.

In a race with plenty of early drama that saw last year’s third Grangeclare West part company with Patrick Mullins – who won last year aboard Nick Rockett – at the first, and Panic Attack fall at the third, I Am Maximus tracked the inside path he knows so well in the hands of Paul Townend.

As the race began to develop, Ben Jones made a bold bid to supplement his King George win on The Jukebox Man aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Jordans after two out – but a JP McManus-owned challenge was looming and it was the heavily-backed 9-2 favourite who stormed home best from the elbow to win the race for a second time, having also finished second 12 months ago.

It was a record fourth win in the race for McManus, who also saw his Iroko go two places better than last year for second – another first in the race for one owner to have the first two home. Jordans was third, with Johnnywho fourth.

Mullins, who joins Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell as a four-time National-winning handler, said: “It was a good call from JP, I’d been going down the Gold Cup route with him, but he said to stay in Aintree with him as he felt he was well handicapped. Paul just executed it so well.

“He’s a superb horse who got a fantastic ride and I think the most trouble he got was from his stablemates and his co-pilots, they didn’t give him much room.

“It is (hard to win off top-weight), but maybe the modern-day National is changing and we’re looking at it a bit differently.

“It’s the race we aspire (to win). It’s the race you want to win and be a part of – just to have a runner is a tremendous sensation.

“He is just a superstar – nothing fazes him. He comes out, does what he has to do and wins Nationals.” 

He added: “It’s the first race we all watch on television, it’s the race you grow up wanting to win and just to have a runner in it is a tremendous sensation.” 

Asked if he thought I Am Maximus could further emulate Red Rum with a historic third success next year, Mullins said: “I thought the horse ran a cracker last year, he just got beaten.

“Hopefully he’ll be here next year, JP is very keen on the National for I Am Maximus, he says he loves the place and jumps the fences so well. Hopefully we’ll all be here next year.” 

A delighted Townend said: “He’s tough, isn’t he? He’ll gallop to the end of the world for you.

“He still probably didn’t travel with the enthusiasm of the first year, but I just thought the cheekpieces helped in the middle part of the race.

“I saw the one that went in front, but I wasn’t going to be the one chasing him, I had enough going OK in front of me and I was able to get a lead to the elbow.” 

McManus was full of praise for Townend’s ride.

He said: “There’s a bit of planning goes into it, everything kind of points towards the Grand National and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. 

"Thankfully it all came together this time.

“He carried the most weight, but managed to win. He got a great ride from Paul, I thought – he waited for the horse and it was an outstanding ride, I have to say.

“He was entered for the Gold Cup, which was a temptation, but we said we’d try to win the National again because he’s a real National type – he’s just made for it.

“He gets away with things at the fences that he wouldn’t get away with at Cheltenham and he just loves it round here. I couldn’t be happier.” 

A punter at Aintree staked a £100,000 bet on the winner and when asked if he too had backed his hero, McManus told ITV Racing: “I had a little on.”