Pisces Grand National Horses

I Am Maximus is already an Aintree legend following his victory in the Grand National two years ago and then following that up with second place behind Nick Rockett last year. 

A return to Aintree will undoubtedly be on the cards once again but the ten-year-old son of Authorised has been quite busy this season with three runs in Grade One races in Ireland. The highlight of those runs was finishing runner-up to Affordale Fury in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. That run suggested that all his ability is still there and he looks sure to be a force to be reckoned with once again in the Grand National. 

I Am Maximus still holds an entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but that race has not been on his agenda in previous years and it would be a surprise if he was given the green light for that race. Much more likely is that he will turn-up at Aintree a fresh horse, although the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse that he won two years ago, may appeal to connections if they feel they want to get another run into him.

Iroko ran a fine race in last year’s Grand National when finishing seven-and-a-half lengths fourth to Nick Rockett when sent off the 13/2 favourite and in doing so was the only British horse to finish in the top nine places. 

Jonjo O’Neill jnr, who rode Iroko in the National, was hard at work from a long way out but his partner was willing, staying on for pressure after coming from quite a long way back. Iroko made a couple of bad mistakes before the turn for home which will not have helped his cause.

The eight-year-old gelding is a previous winner at the Cheltenham Festival, winning the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle in 2023, but was sent straight over fences the following season and, perhaps surprisingly, has won only twice in ten attempts at the bigger obstacles. Iroko’s shrewd trainers, Oliver Greenall and Josh Gueriero, have been campaigning this horse with one eye on Aintree right from the start of his chasing career at the behest of owner JP McManus who has apparently always thought this horse was made for the Grand National.

Iroko has started this season with a run in the same Graduation Chase at Haydock that he ran in first-time up last season, finishing second on both occasions. He then ran in another Graduation Chase at Ascot where he regained the winning thread seeing off Firefox and James Du Berlais for a cosy victory.

It would appear all roads lead back to Aintree for Iroko but, in recent years, horses heading back to the Grand National after a defeat do not have a good record and this son of Cokoriko is likely to have significantly more weight to carry.

Iroko has had a wind operation since last season so connections will be hoping that will help the gelding find the improvement he seems to need to find to be competitive again in April.

Beauport led last year's Grand National in the second-half of the race and appeared to be really enjoying himself at the head of affairs before overtaken at the third-last fence. His effort capitulated very quickly after that, which was somewhat surprising for a horse who had won the Midlands National over a similar distance. 

Trainers Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies have been swapping his races between hurdles and fences over the last few seasons and he started this season with a very encouraging run over the larger obstacles when a close-up fourth over three-miles and three furlongs at Cheltenham in November. Two less inspiring efforts have come over hurdles since then so it's difficult to know what kind of form the ten-year-old gelding is in. 

If Beauport does turn up at Aintree he will run from a three pound lower mark than last year but even with that reduction it's hard to fancy him given how quickly he checked out last year but he has since had wind operation so perhaps an improved performance could be on the cards.

Mr Vango was one of the horses of last season winning the London National at Sandown, the Peter Marsh at Haydock and ending the season with another victory, this time in the Midlands National. 

The gelding’s connections were frustrated he wasn’t on a high enough rating to make the final field at Aintree but have focused this season on getting the ten-year-old into this year’s Grand National.

This season started well for Mr Vango when he showed his aptitude for the National fences when finishing a short-head runner-up to Twig in the Becher Chase in December but Grand National plans have gone awry for the horse since then. The Sara Bradstock trained chaser turned in a rare blip in his form figures when pulling up in a race at Sandown but connections were further frustrated when Mr Vango pulled up again next time out, this time in the Eider Chase at Newcastle. 

After two such disappointing performances, Mr Vango’s participation in the Grand National must be in some doubt, but if his trainer can get him back to the form of last year he would be a live player at Aintree.

Jagwar had a superb first season over fences last year winning four races from five attempts, including the Novices Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. 

That victory at Cheltenham came from a mark of 139 and the seven-year-old gelding will carry thirteen pounds more should he line up in the Grand National. This season he has run twice so far in two valuable Cheltenham middle-distance handicaps and has only been narrowly beaten in both. 

Jagwar’s supporters for the Grand National are making a big leap of faith regarding his stamina for the four-and-a-quarter mile test at Aintree as the horse has yet to run further than two miles and five furlongs. Connections are aiming the JP McManus horse first at this year’s Cheltenham Festival with the three-mile Ultima Chase as the target before a possible tilt at the Grand National. With stamina still under question, Jagwar fans would probably best to wait until after Cheltenham before placing any Grand National bets.