Punters defeated bookmakers in this year’s Randox Grand National with the victorious I Am Maximus widely reported as the worst possible winner of the race for layers.
With the well-fancied Iroko and Johnnywho also finishing in the first four, William Hill predicted they would be facing a “payout north of £10 million” on the result of this year’s Grand National.
Confidence was high with the betting public that I Am Maximus could emulate Red Rum by recapturing the Grand National, with him being forced into 9-2 favourite at the off having been briefly usurped in the market earlier in the day by Panic Attack.
The public belief was well placed, as I Am Maximus scored by two and a half lengths, leading Betfred founder Fred Done to declare: “It’s been a gladiatorial bloodbath for us bookies.”
The result contrasted sharply with last year’s winner, Nick Rockett, according to Sky Bet, whose spokesman Michael Shinners said: “After last year’s 33-1 winner, this year has certainly gone the way of the punters. I Am Maximus was very well backed throughout the day.
“We paid seven places and the popular Final Orders finishing seventh was also a good result for a number of our customers.”
The success of I Am Maximus combined with the placed efforts of Iroko, Jordans and Johnnywho, has left William Hill facing “a historically high payout on the Grand National”.
Spokesman Lee Phelps said: “We’ve been stung heavily. I Am Maximus winning was one of our worst-case scenarios, and with well-fancied horses in the places, we’re facing a payout of north of £10 million in the race. We're licking our wounds and this is a payout we're going to remember for a long time.”
Ladbrokes said they would be describing this year as a ‘punters’ Grand National’, and head of PR Nicola McGeady said: “Hats off to the punters who stayed loyal to I Am Maximus; there was a massive wave of support for him all week. It was a result we didn’t want.”
And despite I Am Maximus being “the worst result in our book”, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said the horse’s victory was beneficial to the sport and that excitement would be high should he attempt to emulate Red Rum in next year’s race.
“I Am Maximus provided empirical evidence that he’s now a Grand National legend,” Binfield said. “It was a bruising result – punters have had it right off, getting involved in what was a mammoth public gamble.
“While we’ve taken a battering, the publicity for the sport will be invaluable as, hopefully, he’ll be back at Aintree next year in a bid to emulate the great Red Rum with a record third victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase.”
Read more . . .
Grand National: I Am Maximus joins Aintree greats as he regains title and lands huge gamble
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