Within twenty minutes of winning the 2026 Grand National, both Willie Mullins and JP McManus confirmed the same target for I Am Maximus: the 2027 Grand National. The horse will be eleven years old. No horse older than ten has won the race in the modern era. He has already broken the top-weight record that stood since 1974. The question now is whether he can break the age record too.
The Immediate Aftermath
Paul Townend described the moment the race turned after the Canal Turn: "He just lit up." Despite being fourth at the last fence with Jordans ahead, I Am Maximus finished fastest of all over the final two furlongs to win by two and a half lengths. Willie Mullins's post-race verdict was characteristically direct: "He jumps, gallops and wins Nationals."
The bookmakers were less pleased. William Hill confirmed a payout "north of £10 million" and described it as "one of our worst-case scenarios." A separate bet of £100,000 at 8/1 placed on race day was confirmed to have been placed. JP McManus's comment that he had "a little on" was delivered with the understatement that characterises the most experienced owner in Grand National history.
The Records He Now Holds
I Am Maximus is now the only horse since Red Rum to regain the Grand National — losing the title in one year and winning it back the next. He carried 11st 12lb to win, the heaviest winning weight since Red Rum in 1974 — a record that had stood for 52 years. He is ten years old, at the very edge of the modern age range for winners. His record across three Grand National starts reads: first, second, first.
The 2027 Question
He opens at 8/1 for the 2027 Grand National, quickly drifting to 12/1 as the market considered the challenge of an eleven-year-old carrying top weight. No horse older than ten has won in the modern era. The counterargument is straightforward: I Am Maximus has already broken one historically unbreakable record at Aintree. The question of whether age is truly a barrier for this particular horse is genuinely open.
Red Rum ran in the Grand National five times across five consecutive years from 1973 to 1977, winning three times at ages nine, ten and twelve. He remains the benchmark for longevity in the race. I Am Maximus now has three consecutive podium finishes from three attempts. The parallel is unavoidable.
What Comes Next in 2026
Before the 2027 Grand National the horse will need a campaign. Mullins is likely to follow the same preparation path — high-level staying chases through the winter building to Aintree in April. The Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February serves as a fitness reference rather than a primary target. Aintree is the destination. Everything else is preparation.
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