James Maxwell
Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-04-11
Winner: I Am Maximus — 9/2 favourite — trained Willie Mullins, ridden Paul Townend. Owner JP McManus. Carrying 11st 12lb top weight. Going: Good to Soft. Aintree, 11 April 2026.
2nd: Iroko (18/1) — Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
3rd: Jordans (28/1) — Joseph Patrick O'Brien, Ben Jones
4th: Johnnywho (12/1) — Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill
I Am Maximus won the 2026 Randox Grand National Handicap Chase to become the first horse since the legendary Red Rum to regain the Grand National title. The 10-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, carried top weight of 11st 12lb — the heaviest burden in the field — to win one of the most historic Nationals in the modern era.
The win was Mullins's third consecutive Grand National victory and fourth in total. It extended JP McManus's remarkable ownership record in the race and confirmed I Am Maximus as the greatest Grand National horse of his generation.
For the full story of how the race unfolded and what makes this result so historically significant, see our dedicated piece on I Am Maximus and the Red Rum comparison.
How the 2026 Grand National Unfolded
The 2026 Grand National was run on Good to Soft ground at Aintree on Saturday, 11 April, with 34 runners going to post over 4 miles 2½ furlongs and 30 fences.
Early Casualties and Market Drama
The race was dominated by pre-race drama before a hoof had been raised. Defending champion Nick Rockett, trained by Willie Mullins and a potential odds-on favourite, was ruled out in the days before the race after a coughing illness — removing what many believed was the strongest horse in the field and throwing the market wide open.
Panic Attack — the Dan Skelton-trained mare bidding to become the first female winner since Nickel Coin in 1951 — attracted enormous support and went to post as one of the market leaders. Her chance ended abruptly when she unseated her rider on the first circuit, extinguishing one of the race's most compelling storylines.
Several other prominent fancied runners exited early. Grangeclare West, the Willie Mullins-trained second favourite, unseated rider. Jagwar, widely touted by tipsters as the value play, fell at an open ditch. Banbridge fell at the Chair. The early losses cleared a path for the horses with the stamina and jumping ability to see out the full trip.
I Am Maximus Takes Control
I Am Maximus did not travel with the natural zest he showed in his 2024 winning run — connections had fitted cheekpieces to sharpen his focus through the middle section of the race. The move worked. Paul Townend, nursing the top weight through the field, bided his time as the race began to thin out.
Coming into the home straight, Jordans — a 28/1 shot trained by Joseph O'Brien and ridden by Ben Jones — briefly threatened to cause a notable upset, moving into a prominent challenging position. But I Am Maximus's relentless galloping ability and the class that had already won him a Grand National told. Townend produced him with a sustained run and he went clear on the run to the line.
Iroko, trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, ran on strongly late to claim second at 18/1. Jordans held on gamely for third. Johnnywho finished fourth — inside the extended seven-place each-way terms Sky Bet was paying.
Connections' Reaction
Paul Townend after the race: "He's tough isn't he? He still didn't travel with the enthusiasm of the first year but the cheekpieces helped in the middle of the race. He's so good. He's got such an engine and will gallop to the end of the world for you."
I Am Maximus — Winner Profile
I Am Maximus is a 10-year-old bay gelding trained at Closutton, Ireland by Willie Mullins and owned by JP McManus. He is the first horse since Red Rum to win the Grand National on more than one occasion.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Age | 10 |
| Trainer | Willie Mullins |
| Jockey | Paul Townend |
| Owner | JP McManus |
| SP | 9/2 favourite |
| Weight | 11st 12lb (top weight) |
| Going | Good to Soft |
| Previous GN win | 2024 (9/2) |
| GN record | 1st 2024, 2nd 2025, 1st 2026 |
His Grand National Record
I Am Maximus has now run in the Grand National three times:
- 2024: Won at 9/2 under Paul Townend — his first National
- 2025: Second to stablemate Nick Rockett — beaten in a Mullins 1-2-3
- 2026: Won again at 9/2, carrying 11st 12lb top weight
He also won the Irish Grand National in 2023, making him one of the most decorated staying chasers in the National Hunt game. He had run three times at Grade 1 level in Ireland in the 2025/26 season before returning to Aintree, including a second to Affordale Fury in the Savills Chase.
The Mullins and McManus Connection
Willie Mullins and JP McManus have combined to extraordinary effect in the Grand National in recent years. McManus is the sport's most prominent owner and Mullins its most dominant trainer — together they have turned Aintree into something close to a home fixture.
Mullins won his first Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005. He then trained I Am Maximus (2024), Nick Rockett (2025) and I Am Maximus again (2026) — three consecutive wins and four in total, making him the first trainer to win three successive Nationals since Vincent O'Brien.
Grand National 2026 — Full Result and Finishing Order
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | I Am Maximus | 9/2 F | W. P. Mullins | P. Townend |
| 2nd | Iroko | 18/1 | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | Jonjo O'Neill Jr. |
| 3rd | Jordans | 28/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien | Ben Jones |
| 4th | Johnnywho | 12/1 | Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill | Richie McLernon |
| 5th | High Class Hero | 50/1 | W. P. Mullins | James Bowen |
| 6th | Favori De Champdou | 33/1 | Gordon Elliott | Danny Gilligan |
Notable Non-Finishers
| Horse | SP | Fate |
|---|---|---|
| Panic Attack | 7/1 | Unseated rider |
| Grangeclare West | 8/1 | Unseated rider |
| Jagwar | 6/1 | Fell |
| Banbridge | 33/1 | Fell (Chair) |
| Nick Rockett | — | Non-runner (coughing illness) |
Each-Way Result
Sky Bet paid 7 places each-way on the 2026 Grand National, covering the first seven finishers. The each-way terms were 1/5 odds. Positions 1st through 7th all paid out on the place part.
Betting Review
I Am Maximus started at 9/2 favourite — the same price at which he won in 2024. The horse had been as short as 4/1 during the week but eased slightly before the off following the confirmation that Nick Rockett would not run.
Panic Attack, the most popular ante-post selection from the non-Mullins camp, was sent off at around 7/1 and unseated — one of the most significant market collapses of the festival.
Grand National 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Grand National 2026?
I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, won the 2026 Grand National at Aintree on 11 April. He started at 9/2 favourite and carried top weight of 11st 12lb.
What price did I Am Maximus win the 2026 Grand National at?
I Am Maximus won at a starting price of 9/2 favourite.
Who came second in the 2026 Grand National?
Iroko, trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, finished second at 18/1.
Who came third in the 2026 Grand National?
Jordans, trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien and ridden by Ben Jones, finished third at 28/1.
Has I Am Maximus won the Grand National before?
Yes. I Am Maximus won the Grand National in 2024, finished second in 2025, and won again in 2026 — the first horse to regain the title since Red Rum.
Who trained the 2026 Grand National winner?
Willie Mullins trained I Am Maximus. It was Mullins's third consecutive Grand National as winning trainer (2024, 2025, 2026) and his fourth overall, following Hedgehunter in 2005. Note: the 2025 winner was Nick Rockett, a different horse from the Mullins yard — I Am Maximus finished second that year.
Who rode I Am Maximus in the 2026 Grand National?
Paul Townend, Mullins's retained jockey, rode I Am Maximus to victory.
Who owns I Am Maximus?
I Am Maximus is owned by JP McManus, one of National Hunt racing's most prominent owners.
What weight did I Am Maximus carry in the 2026 Grand National?
I Am Maximus carried 11st 12lb — top weight, the heaviest in the field.
Why did Nick Rockett not run in the 2026 Grand National?
The defending 2025 champion was ruled out shortly before the race after suffering a coughing illness. His absence significantly altered the betting market.
How many places were paid in the 2026 Grand National?
Sky Bet paid 7 places each-way at 1/5 odds, having extended to 7 places due to the field containing more than 24 runners.
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