Trust your Express as we picked Grand National winner and a runner up | UK | News
Express reporter Chris Riches with Johnnywho and trainer AJ O’Neill (Image: Humphrey Nemar)
The Daily Express has proven we are a winning newspaper – after a top jockey exclusively told our readers to back champion I Am Maximus to win the Grand National. In Saturday’s paper and online, legendary Irish jockey Barry Geraghty, 42, who won the National on Monty’s Pass in 2003, sat down with your Express to encourage our readers to head over to I Am Maximus.
The Express also visited Jonjo O’Neill’s garden two weeks ago. Cheltenham To meet Johnnywho and wish him luck – only for the nine-year-old to tackle the muddy marathon and place fourth out of 34 runners. Meanwhile, our award-winning race tipster Melissa Jones AKA The Scout also highlighted I Am Maximus in her top three horses to do well in the spectacular Aintree sports race.
I Am Maximus wins the Grand National (Image: Paul Greenwood/Shutterstock)
Read more: Grand National ace tells our readers horse’s others ‘must be beat’
Read more: ‘I spent 6 hours in the garden of the Grand National legend; ‘There was something remarkable’
Melissa is the current Racing Post National Press Contest champion after leading 11 tipsters’ races to the finish in 2025. The stamina-draining contest relied on more than 9,600 picks throughout the year.
Just a few days ago Barry Geraghty suggested I Am Maximus could achieve an improbable Grand National treble in the standings after the horse won in 2024, finished second in 2025 and won again on Saturday.
Chatting to the Express at the parade at Aintree, days before the big race, William Hill ambassador Barry told us: “I think the horse that finished second last year, I Maximus – who won the prize the year before – is the horse to beat.
“His preparations have been better this year. He’s probably shown a higher level of fitness as well. The fact that Paul Townend is in the race says everything about his chances.”
“The more I look, the more I come back to him. I think he’s the one to beat.”
Chris Riches with Barry Geraghty (Image: Andrew Stenning/Daily Express)
Two weeks ago the Express was invited to the Jackdaw Castle yard in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, owned by father and son Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, to see how the horses are pampered and trained for the big 30 fence race.
While there, 26-year-old AJ introduced us to Grand National runner Johnnywho and during our chat we wished the horse good luck in the upcoming race.
When we asked AJ at the time about Johnnywho’s chances of winning, he said: “It’s a long distance race so it’s important to get a nice rhythm going and then endurance comes in. We’re really looking forward to seeing him run – it’s an amazing sight!”
So we were thrilled to see AJ and Jonjo spot Johnny expertly weaving his way through the fallen horses, showing his grit and determination, and eventually finishing fourth among a starting field of 34 runners.
After the race, AJ said: “He had a great race. We are absolutely delighted. Maybe he got a little tight in the later stages, but that didn’t hinder him too much.”
“Richie (jockey McLernon) rode him very nicely and kept him in a very nice spot the whole way. He was jumping well and having fun the whole way.”
