Grand National 2024 result: I Am Maximus wins thriller for Willie Mullins after late surge

I Am Maximus came surging through during the late stages of a thrilling 2024 Grand National to win the race for trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Paul Townend and owner JP McManus.

The 7/1 joint-favourite charged away in stunning fashion after a competitive contest at Aintree to power home ahead of Delta Work and the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Minella Indo, with Galvin in fourth and Kitty’s Light crossing the finish line fifth.

Defending champion Corach Rambler unseated rider Derek Fox at the first fence in a major shock, bringing an early end to his bid to become the first back-to-back Grand National champion since the great Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019.

It is a second Grand National winner overall for dominant Irish trainer Mullins and his first for almost 20 years, having also achieved success in the world’s greatest steeplechase with Hedgehunter back in 2005.

The victory also catapults Mullins into a three-way battle for the British trainers’ title, alongside Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton.

"I thought Paul was super on him as I'm not sure the horse was giving him a lot of help on the way round and I could see him just minding him the whole way round,” Mullins told ITV.

"We saw that last year in the Irish National and he has supreme confidence in the horse and he always has that bit in the tank. When he was cut off going to the second last or the last, you saw him coming out around and just biding his time waiting for his challenge to deliver.

"I could see Paul's body language and he was happy, so I was happy then. I don't think I said anything until he got over the last and then I let go (and gave him a cheer).

"I'm buzzing here now at the moment and it's huge. As far as I know our team is back in full order with no injuries or anything and I'm happy that we have a full complement of horses and riders coming back in."

It was a first Grand National triumph for four-time Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Townend and a third for owner McManus, following the 2010 victory of Don't Push It and Minella Times in 2021.

“It's an unbelievable race and an unbelievable horse and it's a bit surreal to be honest,” said Townend.

“I ended up being first down to the first to give him a look and as he got to the Melling Road he started backing off so it wasn't a great start, but the volume of horses pushed him down over the first three and he got a bit careful on the second circuit but I was trying to conserve as much as I could as well.

"He didn't get the clearest run from the second last to the last, but it kind of helped me and I had a feeling when I got him out he was going to start motoring in the clear air and he did.

"The ones in front of me, I'm sure they weren't looking for me but I had them well in my sights. I was hoping he would respond like I thought he would.

"Gold Cups are Gold Cups and Grade Ones are hard to win. But Grand Nationals are just a bit different. You just need so much luck and I can't believe it, I'm a lucky boy."

As well as Corach Rambler, Mr Incredible and Mahler Mission were among the other well-fancied horses not to compete, while Limerick Lace - the mare sent off joint-favourite following a stunning late gamble - could only finish 10th after a string of jumping errors early on.

Blackmore, who famously became the first female jockey to win the race in 2021, led over the last on former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, but could find no response to the winner’s late charge.

Blackmore eventually finished third, splitting a pair of Gordon Elliott runners in Delta Work and Galvin, the former going one better than when finishing third in 2022.