As the dust settles on the 2024 renewal of the Cheltenham Festival, Irish trainer Willie Mullins is once again the man of the moment.
The Closutton handler saddled an impressive nine winners across the four days at Prestbury Park, including wins in the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.
As a result, Mullins surpassed the century mark and collected his sixth successive Cheltenham Festival Leading Trainer title — which was also his 11th overall.
Attention now turns to Aintree for the Grand National on April 13. Despite his wealth of success in jumps racing, Mullins has won the prestigious contest just once with Hedgehunter back in 2005.
He’s had runners place in recent years, including Pleasant Company (2nd) in 2018, Rathviden (3rd) in 2019, Burrows Saint (4th) in 2021, and Gaillard Du Mesnil in third last year.
Mullins arguably holds the strongest hand this year, however, with several horses towards the fore of the market in the 2024 Grand National betting.
That said, read on as we assess his leading chances and weigh up the potential of any of them ending Mullins’ almost 20-year wait for a second Grand National success.
I Am Maximus
Irish Grand National I am Maximus. Photo/Sky Sports
It is I Am Maximus who leads the way for Closutton, as the JP McManus-owned horse currently sits as the joint-second favourite behind last year’s Grand National winner Corach Rambler.
The eight-year-old kicked the season off with a Grade 1 win in the Dinmore Novice Chase and went on to finish third and fourth in very competitive top-level races at Leopardstown — which were both won by now dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs.
I Am Maximus was back in the winner’s circle in February though, taking advantage of his drop back in class to land the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase by a commanding 14 lengths over Vanillier.
Meetingofthewaters
Coming in just behind his stablemate with odds of 10/1 in the betting horse racing, Meetingofthewaters was in the headlines in the build-up to the recent Cheltenham Festival as he switched hands when bought by JP McManus just days before the event.
The seven-year-old ran very well in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Prestbury Park too, going well and prominent in the field before the second-last obstacle, before rallying on for a third-place finish.
That has resulted in Meetingofthewaters being slashed to 10/1 from 25/1 for the Grand National, and he looks well weighted with plenty in hand over the likes of Corach Rambler and I Am Maximus.
Capodanno
Capodanno. Photo/Sky Sports
Another Mullins horse who has been slashed in the market following their performance at the Cheltenham Festival, Capdanno is into 16/1 from 25/1 to win the Grand National.
The eight-year-old pulled up in last year’s Grand National and was last of six runners on his seasonal reappearance in a Listed contest at Thurles.
However, Capodanno was a respectable third from 80/1 in the Savills Chase and returned to winning ways in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January.
A fourth-place finish in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival was another admirable showing at the top level, leaving Capodanno as one to watch in the 2024 Grand National.
Mr Incredible, who was second in the recent Midlands National, is 25/1, while Adamantly Chosen, who was last seen winning a chase over three miles and two furlongs at Down Royal, is 33/1.
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