I Am Maximus to carry top weight in this year's Grand National
Trackside.co.nz • February 18th, 2026 11:44 AM • 4 min read
The weights have been released for the Grand National, to be held at Aintree on Saturday April 11th. (early hours of Sunday morning NZ time)
The topweight has been assigned to I Am Maximus, the winner of the race in 2024. He will carry 11 stone, 12 pounds.
Carrying the famous JP McManus green and gold silks, the 10-year-old is trained by legendary trainer Willie Mullins. No horse has carried the top-weight to victory since the immortal three-time winner Red Rum did so in 1974.
Aintree Racecourse is located in the suburbs of Liverpool in North-West England and is part of a three day festival of jumps racing.
The warm favourite for this year’s race is Iroko, who finished fourth last year, will carry 11 stone 1 pound.
I Am Maximus, Haiti Couleurs, plus the 2025 Grand National winner, Nick Rockett are on the second line of betting.
The Grand National is considered the world’s greatest steeplechase and is run over 6907 metres (4 miles 514 yards) As a comparison point, the New Zealand Steeplechase is run over 5,600 metres.
Historically, the most famous New Zealand horse to compete in the Grand National was Moifaa, who won the Grand National in 1904 by eight lengths.
More recently, two New Zealand bred horses won the Grand National in the 1990s.
Seagram won the 1991 Grand National. Her breeder Jeanette Broome holds the honour of breeding both a Grand National winner and a Melbourne Cup winner, having bred Jeazabeel who won the 1998 Melbourne Cup.
1997 Grand National winner Lord Gyllene was was bred in the Waikato by Nola Taylor. He was by 1981 New Zealand Derby winner Ring The Bell and out of Dentelle.
Lord Gyllene was subsequently bought by British racecourse owner Sir Stanley Clarke after watching TV recordings of his race victories in New Zealand.
