Grand National 2026 Winner: I Am Maximus Makes History at Aintree
The Grand National 2026 winner is I Am Maximus, who stormed to victory at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool on Saturday, 11 April, becoming the first horse since the legendary Red Rum to regain the Grand National title. Ridden by jockey Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins, the 10-year-old bay gelding — sent off at 9/2 favourite — won by two and a half lengths from stablemate Iroko, with Jordans finishing third. The result was historic on multiple fronts, rewriting the record books in one of British sport’s most celebrated races.
📊 STAT CARD — Final Finishing Positions 1st: I Am Maximus (9/2) | 2nd: Iroko (18/1) | 3rd: Jordans (28/1) | 4th: Johnnywho (12/1) Source: Racing Post Grand National 2026 results
I Am Maximus Joins Red Rum as a Two-Time Grand National Champion
I Am Maximus became the first horse since Red Rum to regain the Grand National, and the first since Red Rum in 1974 to win the race whilst carrying top weight. Carrying 11st 12lb — the maximum assigned by the handicapper based on his previous National performances — the horse defied those conditions with authority.
The 10-year-old is the ninth two-time winner of the iconic Aintree race and the first to double up since Tiger Roll claimed back-to-back victories in 2018 and 2019. His 2024 win was followed by a narrow defeat in 2025, when Nick Rockett pipped him at the line. That makes Saturday’s result all the more remarkable for connections.
The performance was built on courage and expert timing from Townend. At the last fence, I Am Maximus was still 10 lengths back in fourth, but between the final two fences he began to truly hit top gear, catching Jordans — who had briefly burst clear crossing the Melling Road — with roughly 100 yards to run.
ITV Racing captured the moment on social media:
ITV Racing (@itvracing). “🏆 I Am Maximus REGAINS the Randox Grand National! 🏆 The first horse since Red Rum to do so! @PTownend | @WillieMullinsNH.” X, 11 Apr. 2026. https://x.com/itvracing
📊 STAT CARD — Top Weight Record at the Grand National Last horse to win carrying top weight before I Am Maximus: Red Rum, 1974 Weight carried by I Am Maximus in 2026: 11st 12lb Source: ESPN Grand National 2026 Winner’s Guide
Records Fall for Mullins, McManus, and Townend at Aintree 2026
The victory was historic for every member of the winning team, not just the horse. Willie Mullins secured a record-equalling fourth Grand National win and became the first trainer since Vincent O’Brien in the 1950s to win three successive editions of the Aintree spectacular.
Owner JP McManus also made history, becoming the first owner in Grand National history to record four winners. Previous wins came via Don’t Push It (2010), Minella Times, and the two victories for I Am Maximus. McManus-owned horses filled first, second, and fourth place on Saturday — an extraordinary outcome for one silks set in a field of 34 runners.
Jockey Paul Townend had already won the Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Gaelic Warrior just weeks earlier. Speaking to BBC Sport after the race, Townend described the feeling in direct terms: “Grand Nationals and Gold Cups are the pinnacle of the sport and I have them both.”
Aintree Racecourse confirmed the win on X:
Aintree Racecourse (@AintreeRaces). “HE REGAINS HIS CROWN 👑 UNBELIEVABLE Scenes as I Am Maximus Wins the @RandoxHealth Grand National! 🏆.” X, 11 Apr. 2026. https://x.com/AintreeRaces
📊 STAT CARD — Grand National Record for Owner JP McManus Total Grand National wins as owner: 4 (Don’t Push It 2010, Minella Times 2021, I Am Maximus 2024 & 2026) Source: Yahoo Sports UK — Grand National 2026
A Dramatic Race Day at Aintree — From False Start to Finish Line
The 178th Grand National was far from a straightforward race to watch. There was a false start before the field was finally sent on its way, and the early stages were packed with drama — the well-fancied Grangeclare West unseated his rider at the very first fence, Quai De Bourbon fell at the second, and Panic Attack — who had briefly been backed into joint favouritism — came down at the third.
Over 150,000 racegoers attended the three-day Aintree Festival on Merseyside, making it one of the biggest sporting weekends in the UK calendar. The Grand National itself remains the most valuable jump race in Britain, with a total prize fund of £1 million — of which racehorse owners receive approximately 80 per cent.
The bookmakers took a significant hit. William Hill spokesman Lee Phelps noted the firm was “stung heavily” by the result, with I Am Maximus backed in dramatically from 8/1 all the way into 9/2 before the off. Paddy Power described it as a “bruising result” but acknowledged the publicity for jump racing was invaluable. One punter at Aintree staked a single £100,000 bet on the winner. It was, in every sense, a punter’s Grand National.
📊 STAT CARD — Grand National Prize Fund 2026 Total prize fund: £1 million | Owner share: approx. 80% Source: BBC Sport — Grand National 2026 Live Coverage
Could I Am Maximus Win a Record Third Grand National in 2027?
With two Grand National wins secured, the question racing fans are asking is whether I Am Maximus can match Red Rum’s record of three victories. Trainer Willie Mullins told reporters after the race that JP McManus is “very keen” on returning to Aintree with I Am Maximus, adding: “He loves the place and jumps the fences so well. Hopefully we’ll all be here next year.”
The horse will be 11 years old by the time of the 2027 Grand National. Red Rum famously won his third title at age 12 in 1977. Age, therefore, is no automatic barrier — and the parallels between the two horses are now impossible to ignore.
Mullins described I Am Maximus as a horse that “nothing fazes”, adding with characteristic wit that at public appearances the horse tends to bite anyone who gets too close. Whether connections choose to return will depend on the horse’s health through winter and his assigned weight in the 2027 handicap. For now, though, I Am Maximus stands firmly alongside the all-time greats of the Grand National — and British racing has found its next legend.
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FAQ
Q: Who won the Grand National 2026? A: I Am Maximus won the 2026 Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, 11 April. The 10-year-old bay gelding, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, was sent off at 9/2 favourite and won by two and a half lengths from Iroko, with Jordans third.
Q: What record did I Am Maximus break at the Grand National 2026? A: I Am Maximus became the first horse since Red Rum — who last did it in 1974 — to win the Grand National whilst carrying top weight, and the first since Tiger Roll (2018–19) to win the race twice. He is only the ninth two-time winner in the race’s history.
Q: Who trained and rode I Am Maximus in the 2026 Grand National? A: Willie Mullins trained I Am Maximus and Paul Townend rode him. Mullins secured his fourth Grand National title with the win, equalling a record set by Ginger McCain. Townend had also won the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Gaelic Warrior just weeks before Aintree.
Q: Who owns I Am Maximus? A: I Am Maximus is owned by JP McManus, the Irish businessman and racehorse owner. The 2026 victory made McManus the most successful owner in Grand National history, with four wins across Don’t Push It (2010), Minella Times, and I Am Maximus twice.
Q: Where was the 2026 Grand National held and how many attended? A: The Grand National 2026 took place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, Merseyside, on Saturday, 11 April 2026. It was the 178th running of the race. More than 150,000 racegoers attended the three-day Aintree Festival, according to ITV News Granada.
Q: Can I Am Maximus win a third Grand National? A: It is possible but uncertain. Red Rum won his third Grand National at age 12 in 1977 — I Am Maximus would be 11 at the 2027 race. Trainer Willie Mullins has indicated connections are keen to return, but a final decision depends on the horse’s health and the handicapper’s weight allocation.
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References
- ESPN — Grand National 2026: I Am Maximus regains title, makes history at Aintree
- Racing Post — Grand National 2026 result: I Am Maximus joins Aintree greats
- BBC Sport — Grand National 2026 LIVE: full result, finishers, placings & reaction
- Sky Sports — Grand National: I Am Maximus wins back Aintree crown for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend
- Yahoo Sports UK — Grand National 2026: I Am Maximus lands historic win at Aintree
- ITV News Granada — Aintree Festival 2026: what you need to know
