Aintree legends.
On an afternoon when JP McManus became the winningmost owner in the history of the Randox Grand National.
When Willie Mullins became the first trainer since Vincent O’Brien to win it for the third successive season.
In a moment when the Closutton genius joined Fred Rimell and Ginger McCain as the only man to train four winners of the great race.
The real Aintree legend was I Am Maximus.
Here he was regaining the crown he lost to stablemate Nick Rockett last season. Carrying top weight of 11st 12lbs to victory. Winning despite a troubled passage through an incident-packed race. Roared home from the stands by those who sent him off the 9/2 favourite.
We’re in Red Rum territory here.
In football the great sides need to know how to win ugly and you watch the replay and wonder how he pulled this one out of the fire.
In 2024 he found a rhythm on the inside of the track that made his victory seem inevitable from some way out.
Last season he moved himself into the position to run down his near-neighbour only for the turbo-boost to carry him past that rival to be missing.
This time he never looked like he was going to quite be able to latch onto the hares to see if the engine was available for deployment.
