I Am Maximus will be bidding to replicate what only Red Rum (1974) and Tiger Roll (2019) have achieved over the last 60 years if he can prevail again.

Champion Trainer Willie Mullins can expect his horse to have much more weight on his back this year than he did in 2024. The weights launch in February will then determine which 34 horses are guaranteed a run in the world’s most famous steeplechase.

I Am Maximus Not Given a Cheltenham Festival Entry

Mullins has had the 2025 Grand National in mind for his horse ever since he won the race last year. At 14/1 in the horse racing betting, he is considered one of the leading contenders once again. He only has two horses ahead of him in the ante-post market, with Iroko and Inothewayurthinkin the early 12/1 joint-favourites.

Mullins has resisted any temptation of running his Aintree hero in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His stablemate, Galopin Des Champs, is the 8/13 favourite in the Cheltenham Festival betting for that race. With no assignment at the four-day meeting in Gloucestershire, he will be much fresher for his trip to Merseyside.

The nine-year-old has featured just once so far in the latest campaign. He was pulled up in the Grade One Savills Chase during the festive period. The Irish horse was always at the rear of the field in the race and his rider opted to pull out of the contest with five fences left to jump.

Irish Grand National Winner Vying for Prestigious Double

I Am Maximus completed the Irish Grand National and Grand National double last season, and Intense Raffles will be bidding to do the same in April. The French-bred horse prevailed at Fairyhouse in the Irish equivalent of the marathon race, and that will have left his connections dreaming of success at Aintree.

Intense Raffles has won all three of his races over fences since switching to Thomas Gibney’s yard in Ireland. His only two defeats have come over hurdles. He is expected to return to fences in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse.

With eight races over fences in his career, Intense Raffles has plenty of experience jumping bigger obstacles ahead of the Grand National. He has also shown he appreciates a stamina test over the longest distances in Jumps racing.

Nick Rockett In Aintree Mix After Gowran Park Victory

The Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase is one of the leading trials for the Grand National in Ireland. This year’s contest went the way of Nick Rockett for Mullins. He jumped well at Gowran Park and then stayed on better than his 17 rivals to land the valuable Grade Three race.

Nick Rockett is one of 10 horses Mullins has entered for the Grand National. The Irish trainer has won the race twice in his career, with his first success coming in 2005 with Hedgehunter. The ratings suggest Appreciate It, Capodanno, Horantzau d’Airy and I Am Maximus, but Nick Rockett and others may need some scratchings from the higher-rated horses to feature in the 4m2f contest.

This year’s Grand National will be the 177th running in history and it will take place on the 9th of April.