I Am Maximus heads Grand National confirmations
Randox Grand National 2025Venue: Aintree Racecourse Date: Saturday, 5 April Time: 16:00 BSTCoverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. Racecards, live text, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app.
Last year's winner I Am Maximus heads the confirmations for the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.The Willie Mullins-trained horse, owned by JP McManus, triumphed by seven and a half lengths in the 2024 race.There are 57 entries remaining, and a maximum of 34 runners will line up on the day after the final field and four reserves are announced on Thursday morning.McManus is seeking a record fourth victory in the race, and he also has leading hopefuls Iroko and Perceval Legallois.I Am Maximus would be the first horse to carry top weight to victory since triple winner Red Rum in the 1970s, and only one horse – Tiger Roll in 2019 – has defended his title since then.
Mullins has a strong squad which also includes Nick Rockett and Grangeclare West towards the top of the weights, although Capodanno was not confirmed for the race on Monday.Mr Incredible has been barred from running after either being pulled up or refusing to race in his last four outings.Others who were guaranteed a run but have not taken up the option are L'Homme Presse, Minella Drama and Velvet Elvis.Gavin Cromwell, who trains Velvet Elvis, will still be strongly represented with Cheltenham Festival winner Stumptown, Perceval Legallois and Vanillier, the second-place finisher in 2023.A strong Irish contingent includes bargain buy Hewick, who cost just £800 and won the King George VI Chase in 2023, plus last year's third-place finisher and 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, and the 2024 Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles.Rachael Blackmore, the only female jockey to win the race when she triumphed in 2021 aboard Minella Times, is likely to ride Minella Indo or Senior Chief for trainer Henry de Bromhead.The 14-times British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has five contenders as seeks a second win in the race - Kandoo Kid, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive, Hitman and Stay Away Fay.Stable jockey Harry Cobden rides Kandoo Kid, with Bryony Frost aboard Stay Away Fay.Iroko has been aimed at the race all season by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Beauport will carry the colours of Bryan and Philippa Burrough, whose Corbiere won in 1983 as Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to triumph.Twiston-Davies, who has won the race twice before, is also set to saddle Broadway Boy.Following the withdrawals, Celebre d'Allen, Three Card Brag and Twig are now guaranteed a run.A decision has still to be made on who takes the 34th and final spot between Duffle Coat, Shakem Up'Arry - owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp - and Roi Mage, who are all due to carry 10st 4lb.The place will go to the horse with the highest current rating and if two or more have the same, a random ballot will take place.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Love Island viewers threaten Ofcom complaints after very awkward scene
One Love Island couple has shocked viewers by getting down to business and locking lips on their first day as a pair on the ITV2 reality show after fears that a bombshell would split them up Love Island fans were left reeling just one day into the new series as one couple locked lips. Tensions reached a boiling point today as Shakira set her sights on finding a new connection after American bombshell Antonia stole her man. With the fear of being dumped from the island hanging over her, Shakira made it her mission to speak to as many of the boys as possible - but her female co-stars were not impressed. Meg seemed to be the most rattled after spotting her partner Dejon deep in conversation with Shakira, and nervously told the other girls: "I don't have my man, Dejon's gone – that's it!" However, the personal trainer was quick to reassure Meg that she is his favourite person in the villa, adding "You haven't got anything to worry about". Although Meg got the encouragement she needed, her counterpart Megan soon felt the pains of being on the chopping block as Shakira pulled Tommy for a chat by the pool. As things started to get more flirty between Shakira and Tommy, Megan decided she needed to make a bold move. She told the other girls: "I think I need to lipse him." Her friends were quick to egg her on, encouraging the Irish girl to lock her relationship down. Megan interrupted Tommy and Shakira's conversation, taking her man to the terrace where she admitted: "That made me a little bit jealous." One thing led to another, and Megan ended up claiming her man with a passionate kiss, much to the excitement of the Islanders down below who cheered them on. Viewers were shocked to see the stars getting physical so quickly, and took to X to share their thoughts on the scene, with one saying: "The kiss was way too soon." Another agreed: "Getting jealous and literally doing a forced kiss over someone you've known less than 24 hours is beyond unhinged." Some fans even declared they were going to make an official complaint to media watchdogs about the incident, with one saying: "Naa I'm submitting an Ofcom complaint, that kiss was too cringe, made me feel mad uncomfortable." Before coming on the ITV2 show, Megan revealed that she isn't fussy about a man's looks, saying she doesn't mind someone who is "scrawny" or has "a bit of a dad bod". Despite her easy-going nature when it comes to outward appearances, it seems that once another woman is becoming a threat to her love life, she has what it takes to go in for the kill. Meanwhile, Tommy came across as a down-to-earth lad, who admitted he has been knocked back a few times once girls heard what he did for a job. The landscape gardener said he wants a girlfriend who is caring and most importantly, doesn't take herself too seriously. He laughed: "I don't know if that's asking for too much, but I want a bit of everything. I haven't got a specific type in terms of looks, though."
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Zahrann under consideration for King Edward VII challenge
Narrowly beaten on his Navan debut before bolting up at Cork, the Johnny Murtagh-trained three-year-old faced a significant step up in class for the Listed King George V Cup but overcame signs of inexperience to come from last to first and win going away in the colours of the late Aga Khan. Murtagh raised the option of a trip to Ascot in the immediate aftermath and Pat Downes, general manager at the Aga Khan's Irish studs, said on Tuesday: 'He will certainly have an entry in the King Edward and beyond that we're just going to see how he is over the next few days. Smooth from Zahrann in the Listed King George V Cup @LeopardstownRC 👇🏻 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 5, 2025 'He was obviously still a little bit raw when winning at Leopardstown and we'll just have to think what is in the best interests of the horse for his next race, but certainly the King Edward is a possibility as we speak now. 'We were delighted with him in Leopardstown, the race was run at a pretty sedate pace so he was a bit further back than ideal and came wide into the straight as well, so I thought he did well to pick them up and win well at the line.' The possibility of Zahrann being supplemented for the Irish Derby was also mooted, but given the Curragh Classic comes just nine days after his potential Royal Ascot engagement he appears highly unlikely to do both. 'It would be one or the other and I would say, given how he ran at Leopardstown it might be better to take a smaller step with him than a bigger step just at this point in his career,' Downes added. 'He's got some nice entries for the second half of the year and he's certainly a horse we would see being effective over 10 or 12 furlongs, so hopefully there's some good days ahead with him.' Zahrann could be part of a small but select team of horses to carry the famous green and red silks at the Royal meeting, with his stablemate Reyenzi also pencilled in alongside some major challengers from France. Reyenzi was first past the post in the Group Three Gallinule Stakes last month before being demoted to third by the stewards after causing interference. Downes said: 'The plan for Reyenzi at the moment is that he'll run in the Hampton Court. He ran around a bit the last day for sure, but it was only his third lifetime start and hopefully he'll have learned from that and he's been in good form since. 'Then the two main ones from France would be Zarigana in the Coronation Stakes and Candelari in the Gold Cup and we'll probably have a couple of others as well.'
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Zahrann under consideration for King Edward VII challenge
Narrowly beaten on his Navan debut before bolting up at Cork, the Johnny Murtagh-trained three-year-old faced a significant step up in class for the Listed King George V Cup but overcame signs of inexperience to come from last to first and win going away in the colours of the late Aga Khan. Murtagh raised the option of a trip to Ascot in the immediate aftermath and Pat Downes, general manager at the Aga Khan's Irish studs, said on Tuesday: 'He will certainly have an entry in the King Edward and beyond that we're just going to see how he is over the next few days. Smooth from Zahrann in the Listed King George V Cup @LeopardstownRC 👇🏻 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 5, 2025 'He was obviously still a little bit raw when winning at Leopardstown and we'll just have to think what is in the best interests of the horse for his next race, but certainly the King Edward is a possibility as we speak now. 'We were delighted with him in Leopardstown, the race was run at a pretty sedate pace so he was a bit further back than ideal and came wide into the straight as well, so I thought he did well to pick them up and win well at the line.' The possibility of Zahrann being supplemented for the Irish Derby was also mooted, but given the Curragh Classic comes just nine days after his potential Royal Ascot engagement he appears highly unlikely to do both. 'It would be one or the other and I would say, given how he ran at Leopardstown it might be better to take a smaller step with him than a bigger step just at this point in his career,' Downes added. 'He's got some nice entries for the second half of the year and he's certainly a horse we would see being effective over 10 or 12 furlongs, so hopefully there's some good days ahead with him.' Zahrann could be part of a small but select team of horses to carry the famous green and red silks at the Royal meeting, with his stablemate Reyenzi also pencilled in alongside some major challengers from France. Reyenzi (third right) in action at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA) Reyenzi was first past the post in the Group Three Gallinule Stakes last month before being demoted to third by the stewards after causing interference. Downes said: 'The plan for Reyenzi at the moment is that he'll run in the Hampton Court. He ran around a bit the last day for sure, but it was only his third lifetime start and hopefully he'll have learned from that and he's been in good form since. 'Then the two main ones from France would be Zarigana in the Coronation Stakes and Candelari in the Gold Cup and we'll probably have a couple of others as well.'
