BoyleSports Irish Grand

National Chase (Grade

A MESMERISING ride for the ages from Paul Townend made the 2023 BoyleSports Irish Grand National a most memorable edition as I Am Maximus chose the ideal moment to shed his maiden status over fences through a truly outstanding display of horsemanship from the five-time Irish champion jockey.

The Willie Mullins-trained novice was the first to receive a serious reminder in the 27-runner cavalry charge after just six fences, and for a long way it looked as though defeat was on the cards for J.P. McManus’ recent purchase from Mike Grech.

However, the 32-year-old rider - fresh from a dazzling effort to win last month’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Galopin Des Champs - was in inspired form and would not accept another defeat in the €500,000 Easter highlight, having been unsuccessful in his previous 11 attempts at the Irish Grand National (including eight non-completions).

I Am Maximus, who certainly has not looked the easiest of rides but long shaped as though having more natural ability than his mark of 149, was expertly coaxed between rivals by Townend when the race was in the melting pot. The pair stayed on decisively on the run-in to score by a length at 8/1 from the Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Gevrey and Defi Bleu (both sent off at 28/1).

Dolcita, also trained by Mullins, ran a blinding race to finish fourth on her first try at the extreme trip, while Panda Boy and Angels Dawn were the only other finishers. The six rivals to complete the course became the Irish Grand National’s smallest number of finishers in modern times.

“We talk about Paul’s ride in the Gold Cup but I don’t think anything surpasses that,” said a delighted McManus after winning his fourth Irish Grand National.

Fairyhouse history

“I won this race 40 years ago with Bit Of A Skite, with Edward O’Grady and Tommy Ryan, and I’m just excited to win it. I don’t think you’d ever get tired of winning the Irish National. It’s the number one in the Irish racing calendar for me and I’m sure everybody else.

“I must compliment Paul there, and the ride he gave the horse because if he was listening to me, I’d have said pull him up after going a mile. But fair play to him, he dug in, he stayed very well, and it’s really special.

“I was only looking at one at the end, and Paul’s strength and the horse’s resolution. You have to stay, and he did that, and did it in spades. Well done to Willie and all the staff down there.”

Townend was ecstatic to win the extreme stamina test for the first time in his career. The race’s time of 8m 24.5 secs was the slowest since General Principle’s war of attrition in 2018 (9m 2.2secs).

Champion’s moment

“It was looking unlikely for a long way,” admitted Townend. “When Royale Pagaille fell [at the 15th fence], it actually opened his eyes for him. I just tried to get him back popping.

“He was too slow jumping down the inside. I wanted to keep horses outside of me but it cut me out of the race, so I had to let him go left and bank on one at the last. You never write off one of Willie’s but it was certainly a lot harder work than it normally is riding for him!

“This is a very special race. It’s huge to win this. You need so much luck. I finished second here a few years back [on Away We Go in 2013] and my record besides that wasn’t great.

“I thought Gaillard Du Mesnil was my best chance in it last year and he ran well to finish third.

“I’m very fortunate that this lad popped up and that it worked out in the end. We always thought he had loads of ability if he got his jumping right.”

Mullins’ assistant trainer David Casey was bowled over by Townend’s display and added: “It was absolutely unbelievable. I don’t have the words, I thought it was absolutely brilliant. We know how good a rider Paul is anyway and I didn’t think he could better Galopin Des Champs from Cheltenham but I thought that was amazing.

“He wasn’t travelling, he didn’t seem to be enjoying it down the inside in the crowd. Paul just kept persevering, kept galvanising and kept saving and kept him jumping. He has his quirks and I thought it was an unbelievable ride.

“He does idle a little bit when he gets to the front, and tends to jump a little bit left. Paul was brilliant and the horse obviously had the ability to go and do it as well.”

Near miss

Gordon Elliott was understandably disappointed to narrowly miss out on a second Irish Grand National success, but came away pleased with the efforts of Gevrey and Defi Bleu - outsiders who were turning out again after finishing fourth and fifth respectively in Cheltenham Festival handicaps.

“The two of them have run great races in defeat,” said Elliott. “You’d nearly prefer to be beaten further than to be just ran out of it late on. They just got mugged and there are no excuses.”

On fourth-placed Dolcita, Casey added: “She ran a cracker. I thought the step up in trip would help her, she’s a very good mare.

“Willie will be absolutely delighted with how the horses ran.”