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The Masters 2024: Woods confirms major plans after posting worst 72-hole score

Harry Carr
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The Masters 2024: Woods confirms major plans after posting worst 72-hole score

Tiger Woods confirmed his plans to compete at 2024’s remaining majors after finishing 16 over at The Masters, his worst-ever score at a 72-hole professional event.

Woods set a tournament record on Friday by making the cut at Augusta National on a 24th straight appearance, having carded opening scores of 73 and 72 in the first two rounds.

However, a miserable Saturday saw the 15-time major champion post a 10-over 82, his worst score at Augusta sending him tumbling down the leaderboard.

Read our other sports news stories here:
The Masters: Emotional Scheffler says priorities will change after second title
The Masters: McIlroy pledges to get ‘in better shape’ after Augusta disappointment
Man City title triumph ‘feels inevitable’ after Liverpool, Arsenal slip-ups – Gary Neville

Woods managed a five-over 77 on the final day, putting him last among the 60 players who made the cut, though it was the first time he had completed a 72-hole tournament since the Genesis Invitational in February 2023.

As Woods continues to manage his fitness after suffering serious injuries in a car crash in February 2021, he saw the weekend as a positive step.

“It was a good week,” Woods said. “It was a good week all around.

“I think that coming in here, not having played a full tournament in a very long time, it was a good fight on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately, yesterday it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to.

“It doesn’t take much to get out of position here. Unfortunately, I got out of position a lot yesterday and a couple times today.”

The next major begins in just over a month’s time, with the PGA Championship taking place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville between May 16 and May 19.

Woods plans to play at that event, as well as the U.S. Open and The Open, and will look to get a handle on the courses beforehand.

“This is a golf course I knew going into it, so I’m going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon. That’s the gameplan,” Woods said.

“It’s always nice coming back here because I know the golf course. I know how to play it. I can kind of simulate shots. Granted, it’s never quite the same as getting out here and doing it.

“I heard there’s some changes at the next couple of sites. So I have to get up there early and check them out.

“We’ll just keep lifting, keep the motor going, keep the body moving, keep getting stronger, keep progressing. Hopefully, the practice sessions will keep getting longer.”

Man City title triumph ‘feels inevitable’ after Liverpool, Arsenal slip-ups – Gary Neville

Harry Carr
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Man City title triumph ‘feels inevitable’ after Liverpool, Arsenal slip-ups – Gary Neville

A fourth successive Premier League title for Manchester City “feels inevitable” after Liverpool and Arsenal suffered damaging defeats on Sunday, believes Manchester United great Gary Neville.

City went top of the Premier League table with a 5-1 rout of Luton Town on Saturday, then watched their two closest rivals slip to surprise home losses on a dramatic Sunday.

Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Crystal Palace as Eberechi Eze hit an Anfield winner, before late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins handed Aston Villa a 2-0 triumph at Arsenal.

Read our other sports news stories here:
The Masters: McIlroy pledges to get ‘in better shape’ after Augusta disappointment
The Masters: Emotional Scheffler says priorities will change after second title
Man Utd have not done enough for top-four finish, Ten Hag accepts

Those results leave City two points clear of both of their rivals with six games remaining for each team.

Though Pep Guardiola’s men could slip to third this weekend, when their FA Cup semi-final date with Chelsea means they aren’t in league action, Neville feels they are now overwhelming title favourites.

Asked what Sunday’s defeats meant for Liverpool and Arsenal on the Gary Neville Podcast, the former defender said: “It was a really bad day. It can happen, you can lose football matches, but you’re up against perfection.

“When Liverpool had City at Anfield, and when Arsenal had City at a potential weak point in that game at the Etihad, I just feel they needed to win to move the mountain, because you can always lose a game.

“I’m really surprised by Liverpool at home to Palace, I’m really surprised, although they have had a difficult week.

“The game for Arsenal was a lot more difficult and they played with a really good performance level in the first half.

“But it feels a little ominous, it feels a little inevitable that the Manchester City, Pep Guardiola machine rises to the top with a few games left. They are going to be very, very difficult to stop – that’s an understatement.”

Former Arsenal winger Paul Merson said the Gunners’ title challenge was all but over after Sunday’s defeat, but Neville believes they have it in them to respond.

“You have to trust them. They have to call upon last season’s experiences – they weren’t in the Champions League, but they were in this position where they would get beaten in games that they thought they would win,” Neville added.

“They dropped points that people didn’t think they would, and now it is about how you get back on the bike because they are not out of the title race.

“It’s going to be tough because of Manchester City and what they are, but it is how they recover.”

As for Liverpool, Neville believes the Reds have done well to even put themselves in the conversation, given the expectation that this season would be one of transition.

“If you look at Liverpool, no one expected Liverpool to be anywhere near,” Neville said. “If you said that Liverpool would be two points off Manchester City with five or six games left to go [at the start of the season], I’d be like, ‘no chance’.

“This is a monumental achievement I think for Jurgen Klopp, for them to be where they are. I said it before the international break and a few Liverpool fans had a go at me, but I felt like they were hanging on.

“I just felt like they were hanging on for dear life with emotion, with it being Klopp’s last season.

“I still think Jurgen Klopp is getting the very best out of this Liverpool team, and what we are now seeing is probably what they are, and they have overachieved to this point.”

Family lives disrupted across Manchester due to 2.4 month extension delays

Helen Greaney
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Family lives disrupted across Manchester due to 2.4 month extension delays

Research shows just one in 20 extension projects in Manchester run to schedule.

The typical home extension project in Manchester overruns by an average of 2.4months, according to new research.

The city in the UK with the longest average delays is Southampton, at 3.6 months, while  shortest delays are in Edinburgh, at one month.

Of the people in Manchester who’ve had an extension in the last five years,a third said the delays ended up costing them more than they’d budgeted for, almost one in five said their house wasn’t ready for a significant event–such as Christmas, big birthdays or bringing home a new baby–while more than a quarter had to suddenly find temporary accommodation until the work was completed.

More than a third of homeowners said the delays left them feeling stressed, 17%lost sleep, and 18% were less productive at work. Other knock-on effects include how well homeowners were able to socialise(13%) and children being unable to do their homework (18%).

Delays also led to conflicts, with almost one in ten saying it caused arguments in their household, and 10% saying they fell out with their neighbours. Many have been involved with disagreements with those undertaking the work, with 15% saying they fell out with their builders and tradespeople throughout the delays.

The research also found that two fifths of homeowners having an extension built faced additional complications, including having to accommodate unforseen challenges such as extra groundwork (41%),their home being exposed while work was carried out (38%), mess elsewhere in their property (29%),having to use multiple different trade teams(28%), and complications with their design (18%).

Alex Hewitt, marketing director for new building system hup!, which undertook the research, said: “A home extension project can often be a major undertaking, and potential delays are one of the main worries people have before building work begins.

“While our findings show there are reasons to be concerned about traditional methods of building, hup! has been designed as a new and transformative option to eradicate those fears. For example, hup! is five times faster to build, meaning what would usually take weeks or months will take days or weeks. This is because it’s delivered as a kit of parts which are connected together rapidly on site, and it can be built in any conditions meaning it isn’t subject to lengthy weather delays.“

There are additional benefits to hup!, too. For example, for those wanting to transform an old conservatory, it can be built onto an existing base which saves a homeowner more time, money and hassle, and it is installed by a single team who manage the project from end to end, meaning there aren’t four or five different trades on site at any one time.

The Masters 2024: McIlroy pledges to get ‘in better shape’ after Augusta disappointment

Harry Carr
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The Masters 2024: McIlroy pledges to get ‘in better shape’ after Augusta disappointment

Rory McIlroy has pledged to get into “better shape” for the remaining majors of 2024 after suffering more Masters disappointment, finishing 15 shots behind champion Scottie Scheffler at Augusta National.

McIlroy was never close to ending his 10-year major drought in Georgia, struggling to match the leaders’ pace in blustery conditions.

He shot rounds of 71, 77, 71 and 73 on a disappointing weekend to finish four over for the tournament, giving him a share of 22nd place, having missed the cut at two of the previous three editions.

Read our other sports news stories here:
The Masters 2024: Emotional Scheffler says priorities will change after second title
Man Utd results ‘not enough’ to finish in Premier League’s top four, says Ten Hag
Grand National Winner I Am Maximus “unbelievable”, says jockey Paul Townend

The world number two believes the conditions had a part to play in his underwhelming weekend but admitted he had not been in the best form entering the tournament.

“I guess it’s just more of the same of what I’ve shown this year,” he said. “It’s not as if I’ve had a down week in comparison to how I’ve been playing.

“I felt like my game was okay, I managed it pretty well. Obviously Friday was a really tough day and losing five shots put me in a pretty difficult position going into the weekend.

“The conditions were pretty tough. The greens were crusty and firm and hard to get the ball super close, and hard to make a tonne of birdies, so once you get seven or eight back going into the weekend here it’s hard to make up that ground.”

The second major of the year – the PGA Championship in Louisville – begins on May 16, with the U.S. Open and The Open following in the next two months.

McIlroy pledged to improve for those tournaments, adding: “I think it’s just a matter of me getting my game in a bit better shape going towards the rest of the season.

“I need to take a little time and reflect on this week and what I did well and didn’t do so well, and try to make a plan for the next few months, especially from here to the end of July through major season.

“They’re obviously going to come thick and fast from here so I’ll hopefully get myself in a bit better form for those last three.”

North West is first in class for converting small businesses, new research says

Helen Greaney
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North West is first in class for converting small businesses, new research says

The North West is among the best places in the UK for small businesses to achieve high growth, according to new research from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme.

Over the past 20 years, the region has seen a 212% increase in ‘productivity heroes’; fast growing small companies able to create jobs and simultaneously achieve productivity growth.

Analysis by the Enterprise Research Centre at Aston University finds that the number of productivity heroes in the North West has grown at a faster rate than any other region in the country, including London.

In 2021/2022, there were 3,747 productivity heroes in the North West region, 2,500 more than in 2000/2001.

Productivity heroes play a critical role in driving productivity in the North West economy, employing more than 60,000 people and generating more than £10bn in annual turnover.

The region accommodates the third highest total number of productivity heroes in the UK, with 3,747 companies, behind only the South East, 5,219, and London, 8,212.

North West defies downtrend

The story of these high growth businesses in the UK has not been a straightforward one. The number of productivity heroes in the UK economy grew rapidly from the turn of the millennium up until the 2007/08 financial crisis, however, their numbers have been falling around the country since then.

Only the North West and London have more productivity heroes today than they had prior to the financial crisis. While, Scotland, Wales, the South West, as well as Yorkshire and the Humber have experienced the biggest declines in the past 15 years.

The findings, as well as results of a survey of high-growth potential businesses in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, will be released at an event in Manchester on Monday.

What small businesses say they need

The survey also shows that North West businesses are more optimistic than the rest of the country about the UK’s small business landscape; 79% think that the UK is a good place to run a small business, much higher than the rest of the country (68%). In addition, they are confident in their own potential to grow; 94% expect their revenue to grow in the next three years and 89% expect to increase their headcount.

Despite outdoing much of the rest of the country when it comes to high growth small businesses, the region’s business leaders have outlined a series of policy asks for government.

Leaders of businesses in the North West say that the top priorities for government should be improving access to finance (19%), upskilling the UK workforce (16%), and making it easier for SMEs to trade internationally (12%). While more than half (61%) believe the next government should prioritise physical infrastructure over digital infrastructure, going forward, compared with an even split nationally.

Charlotte Keenan, head of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme, a free business education programme for high potential businesses in the UK, said: “The research findings demonstrate the North West has a growing, vibrant, and productive small business ecosystem that is growing faster than much of the rest of the country. This is clearly shown in their belief that the UK is a great place to run and grow a small business.

“The high potential businesses in our 10KSB programme have been vocal in our recently published manifesto about what policies could be put in place to improve the conditions for growth. They want government to offer more government-backed finance options, find a solution to the continuing late payment problem and prioritise talent and skills. We know that creating the right conditions for growth has the potential to add at least £100bn to the UK economy and create close to 90,000 jobs.”

Streamlining Education with LMS and SIS Integration

News Desk
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Streamlining Education with LMS and SIS Integration

In today’s fast-paced educational landscape, technology has become an indispensable tool for enhancing the learning experience and improving operational efficiency. Two key systems that have revolutionized the way educational institutions operate are Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS). While each system serves a distinct purpose, their integration has emerged as a game-changer, offering a seamless and comprehensive solution for managing student data, delivering coursework, and fostering effective communication.

Understanding LMS and SIS

An LMS is a software application designed to create, deliver, and manage educational content, course materials, and learning activities. It serves as a virtual classroom, enabling instructors to upload course materials, facilitate discussions, assign tasks, and track student progress. Popular examples of LMSs include Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and Brightspace.

On the other hand, an SIS is a comprehensive database that stores and manages all student-related information, such as personal details, enrollment records, attendance data, grades, and transcripts. It provides a centralized repository for administrative tasks, enabling educational institutions to streamline processes like course registration, fee management, and reporting.

The Need for Integration

While LMSs and SISs are powerful tools on their own, their true potential is realized when they are integrated. In the past, these systems often operated in silos, resulting in duplication of effort, data inconsistencies, and inefficient workflows. Instructors and administrators had to manually transfer data between the two systems, a time-consuming and error-prone process.

Integration: Bridging the Gap

By integrating LMSs and SISs, educational institutions can establish a seamless flow of information between the two systems, eliminating redundant data entry and reducing the risk of human error. This integration ensures that student data is consistent across platforms, enabling stakeholders to access accurate and up-to-date information when needed.

Benefits of LMS and SIS Integration

1. Streamlined Data Management

With integrated systems, student data only needs to be entered once in the SIS, and it can automatically populate the LMS. This eliminates the need for manual data transfer, saving time and reducing the likelihood of errors. Additionally, any updates or changes made in the SIS are automatically reflected in the LMS, ensuring that both systems have access to the most current information.

2. Enhanced Student Experience

By having a single source of truth for student data, integrated systems provide a more seamless and consistent experience for students. They no longer need to juggle multiple logins or navigate disparate systems. Instead, they can access course materials, submit assignments, and view grades and transcripts from a centralized platform, improving overall engagement and productivity.

3. Improved Communication and Collaboration

Integration fosters better communication and collaboration among instructors, administrators, and students. Instructors can easily access student information from the SIS within the LMS, enabling them to personalize their teaching approach and provide targeted support. Additionally, administrators can leverage the LMS to communicate important announcements or updates directly to students, ensuring timely and effective dissemination of information.

4. Increased Operational Efficiency

By eliminating redundant data entry and manual processes, integrated systems significantly enhance operational efficiency. Administrative tasks, such as course enrollment, grade reporting, and transcript generation, can be automated, freeing up valuable time and resources for educational institutions to focus on their core mission of providing quality education.

5. Data-Driven Decision Making

With integrated systems, educational institutions gain access to a wealth of data that can inform strategic decision-making. By analyzing student performance, enrollment trends, and other metrics, administrators can identify areas for improvement, allocate resources more effectively, and develop targeted interventions to support student success.

Implementing LMS and SIS Integration

While the benefits of integrating LMSs and SISs are evident, the implementation process can be complex and requires careful planning. Educational institutions should consider the following steps:

  1. Assess existing systems and compatibility: Evaluate the current LMS and SIS in use, their capabilities, and their compatibility with integration solutions.
  2. Choose the right integration solution: Explore different integration options, such as custom-built solutions, third-party tools, or vendor-provided integrations. Consider factors like cost, scalability, and ongoing support.
  3. Establish clear data governance policies: Develop robust data governance policies to ensure data integrity, security, and compliance with relevant regulations, such as FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
  4. Engage stakeholders: Involve instructors, administrators, IT staff, and student representatives in the integration process to ensure their needs and requirements are met.
  5. Provide training and support: Offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to users to ensure a smooth transition and maximize the benefits of the integrated system.
  6. Monitor and optimize: Continuously monitor the performance of the integrated system, gather feedback from users, and make necessary adjustments to optimize its functionality and effectiveness.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the integration of LMSs and SISs has emerged as a transformative solution, enabling educational institutions to streamline operations, enhance the learning experience, and foster data-driven decision-making. By bridging the gap between these two powerful systems, institutions can unlock a wealth of benefits, from improved communication and collaboration to increased operational efficiency and data-driven insights.

As technology continues to shape the future of education, embracing LMS and SIS integration has become a strategic imperative for institutions seeking to stay ahead of the curve and provide students with a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. By leveraging the power of integrated systems, educational institutions can pave the way for a more efficient, collaborative, and data-driven approach to education, ultimately empowering learners to reach their full potential.

The Masters 2024: Emotional Scheffler says priorities will change after winning second green jacket

Harry Carr
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The Masters 2024: Emotional Scheffler says priorities will change after winning second green jacket

An emotional Scottie Scheffler couldn’t wait to leave Augusta National after winning his second Masters title on Sunday, saying the birth of his first child is about to change his priorities in life.

Scheffler showed why he was the pre-tournament favourite by securing his second green jacket in three years, pulling clear on the back nine in the final round to clinch a four-shot victory.

The 2022 champion made a slow start to his fourth round with major debutant Ludvig Aberg, as well as Max Homa and Collin Morikawa, lurking behind him.

Read our other sports news stories here:
Man Utd results ‘not enough’ to finish in top four of Premier League, Ten Hag accepts
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UFC Manchester 2024: White speaks out on date for massive MMA event in UK

There was briefly a four-way tie for the lead when Scheffler salvaged par at the seventh, but a run of three straight birdies from there helped him pull clear as his challengers lost ground.

A superb tee shot at the three-par 16th set up another birdie as Scheffler extended his lead over Aberg to four shots, and he held his nerve to shoot par on the final two and clinch victory.

Speaking after the championship ceremony, Scheffler said his main focus was on returning to Texas, where his wife Meredith is due to give birth in the coming weeks.

“I can’t put into words what it is like to win here again and what it will be like to become a father for the first time,” the world number one said. “All I can think about is getting home. It is a special time for us.

“I will go home, soak in this victory and enjoy the birth of my first child. I am looking forward to celebrating with Meredith – it’s been a long week without her.

“My priorities will change very soon. My son or daughter will be the main priority, along with my wife. Golf will now be probably fourth in line.

“I’m not going to intentionally take my eye off the ball, I still love competing. I love winning. I hate losing.”

Aberg finished seven under for the weekend in second, with Tommy Fleetwood joining Homa and Morikawa for a share of third, three shots back from the Swede.

The 24-year-old saw his hopes of a stunning success dashed when he found the water on the 11th, but he recovered from that double bogey with birdies on the 13th and 14th to put distance between himself and the other chasers.

Aberg said a memorable weekend had only strengthened his resolve to win a major in the future, saying: “Everyone in my position wants to be a major champion, wants to be world number one and I am no different.

“It’s been that way ever since I picked up a golf club. This week solidifies that a lot of those things are there.

“Scottie is an unbelievable player and he’s proven it again and again. He makes us better – and he makes you want to beat him.”

Further down the leaderboard, early leader Bryson DeChambeau secured a share of sixth – and an invite to next year’s Masters – at two under, but it was a difficult weekend for Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Tiger Woods.

McIlroy never looked like challenging for a maiden title at Augusta as he finished 15 strokes behind Scheffler, his final-round 73 containing three birdies and four bogies.

Defending champion Rahm recorded his highest total in eight Masters appearances by shooting 76 on Sunday, a score which saw him finish nine over for the tournament, but that was still better than Woods fared.

The 15-time major champion finished 16 over, last of the 60 players to make the cut and play all four rounds, after collapsing to 82 on Saturday – his worst round at any major.

Man United results ‘not enough’ to finish in top four of Premier League table, Ten Hag accepts

Ben Miller
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Man United results ‘not enough’ to finish in top four of Premier League table, Ten Hag accepts

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said he told his players not to be “erratic” at half-time of their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, when two Bruno Fernandes goals rescued a point which does little to boost their ambitions of qualifying for European competition.

Ten Hag’s side deservedly trailed 2-1 at the break, Fernandes replying in between strikes by Dominic Solanke and Justin Kluivert.

“This is not enough, we know that,” under-pressure Ten Hag told Sky Sports when he was asked about the prospect of finishing in the top four, which will guarantee Uefa Champions League football next season.

“When you come into the final stage of the season, this is not enough. The truth is we did not deserve more today. We have to do better, control the game, score goals and not give as many chances away.”

Read our other sports news stories here:
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United have one win in seven league matches and needed Fernandes’ penalty – the result of a contentious handball decision against Adam Smith – to earn a draw.

They are 10 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa before their FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City at Wembley Stadium in their next match on April 21.

Bournemouth v Man United: Cherries held

Discussing his advice at the interval, Ten Hag argued that injuries to the likes of Raphael Varane are proving costly and said: “[There were] two things: stay in formation in possession and don’t get erratic. And number two, do your job defensively.

“At this moment, with all the problems we have, we play to our levels. We can play very good and to our levels when everyone is on top form but we have to do it for the whole 90 minutes.

“We have used the same back line twice and these players gave everything, their maximum. But some of them are young, inexperienced and to do it match after match in the tough Premier League is difficult.

“It is hard but they have to deal with it. That is the demand of Manchester United. You see with every opponent there is that desire to beat us.

“Today they went to their limits. Every match, they go to their limits. We have to show resistance, control it and dominate it.”

Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half, when Kluivert also missed a presentable opportunity to put Bournemouth 3-1 ahead.

Bournemouth 2-2 Man United: Bruno Fernandes goals rescue Premier League point for visitors

Ben Miller
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0
Bournemouth 2-2 Man United: Bruno Fernandes goals rescue Premier League point for visitors

Bruno Fernandes equalised twice as Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for European competition suffered more damage with a draw at 12th-placed Bournemouth which will do little to help Erik ten Hag’s cause for continuing at Old Trafford next season.

The Cherries were the superior team during the first half, taking the lead when Dominic Solanke pounced on slackness in possession from Alejandro Garnacho to hit the 16th-minute opener.

Fernandes completed a scrappy United goal by lifting the ball into the roof of the net 15 minutes later, but the visitors needed the midfielder’s 65th-minute penalty to draw level again after Justin Kluivert struck nine minutes before the break.

Milos Kerkez hit the woodwork with a first-half header for Bournemouth and Fernandes followed suit from long range on the stroke of half-time.

Read our other sports news stories here:
Keane doubles down on Haaland ‘League Two player’ jibe
Formula One: Fernando Alonso extends Aston Martin deal through 2026
Man Utd star Mainoo ‘not sure’ if Anthony Joshua fight spells trouble for Tyson Fury

Bournemouth v Man United result: Fernandes to the rescue

After taking one point from their previous three matches, United urgently needed a win to revive their hopes of staying in contention to reach any form of continental competition next season, let alone the Uefa Champions League.

Their defending for large parts of an end-to-end encounter, though, was not worthy of three points, and Bournemouth – who hit sufficiently fine form in March for manager Andoni Iraola to win the Premier League manager of the month award – punished them.

Bournemouth will also feel some ire at the decision over United’s penalty, when Adam Smith was contentiously adjudged to have handled, and were denied a last-gasp spot kick themselves when Ryan Christie went down under a challenge from Willy Kambwala.

United became stronger towards the end of the second half but Bournemouth, whose run of three wins ended with a 2-1 defeat at Luton Town a week earlier, retained a persistent threat.

Ten Hag now has one win in his last seven league games and is surely under pressure, with Champions League qualification almost out of reach.

United’s chances of qualifying for the Europa Conference League by finishing seventh – the position they currently occupy – are almost out of their hands, with Chelsea, who have two games in hand, six points behind them and carrying a superior goal difference.

With six league games remaining, they are 10 points behind fifth-placed Tottenham with a vastly inferior goal difference.

United are next in action against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals on April 21 (3.30pm BST). Bournemouth visit Villa in the top flight on the same day.

Grand National 2024 results: Winner I Am Maximus “unbelievable”, says jockey Paul Townend

Ben Miller
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0
Grand National 2024 results: Winner I Am Maximus “unbelievable”, says jockey Paul Townend

Joint-favourite I Am Maximus won the Grand National for trainer Willie Mullins in a race described as “unbelievable” by jockey Paul Townend.

In a race featuring a first-fence exit for 2023 winner Corach Rambler, the champion stormed to victory by seven-and-a-half lengths at Aintree.

Delta Work was second, beating Minella Indo into third in front of Galvin.

Read our other sports news stories here:
Keane doubles down on Haaland ‘League Two player’ jibe
Formula One: Fernando Alonso extends Aston Martin deal through 2026
Man Utd star Mainoo ‘not sure’ if Anthony Joshua fight spells trouble for Tyson Fury

“He got a little careful on the second circuit,” Townend told ITV Racing, calling his start “not great”.

“I was trying to conserve as much as I could. I didn’t get the clearest run from the second-last to the last, but it kind of helped me.

“I had a feeling that, when I got him out, he was going to start motoring into clear air – and he did. What an unbelievable race and unbelievable horse.”

I Am Maximus wins Grand National

Mac Tottie was the only horse to be treated and was taken to a horse ambulance, while Stattler, Janidil, Foxy Jacks, Farouk d’Alene, Chemical Energy and Minella Crooner pulled up.

Townend claimed his first Grand National attempt at the 13th attempt, and it was a second triumph for Mullins.

“Fantastic stuff – you just couldn’t make it up,” said Mullins. “Aintree is the first race you see; it’s the first race everyone in racing wants to see.”

Several horses were in contention towards the end of the showpiece. “The ones in front of me weren’t looking for me, I’m sure,” said Townend.

“But I had them well in my sights and I was hoping he’d respond like I thought he would.

“Gold Cups are Gold Cups. Grade Ones are hard to win. Grand Nationals are just a bit different. There’s so much luck. I can’t believe it.”

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