Fitzy's Focus: I Am Maximus

I AM MAXIMUS

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Paul Townend
• Owner: J P McManus
• Age: 10
• National Weight: 11st 12lb
• Season Form Figures: 925
• National Prep-Race: 5th - Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1), Leopardstown (Feb 2026)

“Having watched last year’s race back again, I was amazed I Am Maximus managed to finish second. He made several mistakes on the way round and what made them worse for me was they came at important stages in the race.

From Valetine’s on the final circuit to the third last, he made too many mistakes and he put himself in a position that made it really hard for him to win, especially when you consider he was carrying top weight.

You see it now in the modern nationals that there is this accordion-like effect in the race after they just three out, the field gets really compressed and compact. It gives those a chance on the front-end to get a breather in and those who are struggling a chance to catch-up.

I Am Maximus though, because his jumping let him down before three out last year, he was always working to get himself back into a good position and that’s not easy when you’re carrying the type of weight he was. It’s a performance you’ve simply got to mark up and given the mistakes, it was some effort from the horse. If he had jumped well, we might be talking about another back-to-back National winner.

He actually jumped off in a really good position right down the inner and fair play to Paul Townend for being so brave on him, although he is a horse that jumps left and has done throughout his career. I’m not sure he wouldn’t got away with some of last year’s jumps in the old Nationals, but either way, there is no doubting this horse’s class and ability to stay.

He’s a Grade 1 horse who was devastating in winning the National two seasons ago, and while he’s 9lb higher this year compared to his win in 2024, he’s only a pound higher for last year’s second and will carry the exact same weight of 11st 12lb.

We saw at Leopardstown over Christmas he is capable of a big run still and since then, connections have probably been working back from this race. No doubt it will be tough off top weight off a mark of 168, but this unique test clearly brings out the best in him so it’s not hard to see him as a major player again, especially if he got into a good jumping flow.”

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