JP McManus said winning the Boylesports Irish Grand National never gets old as a shrewd purchase paid off in grand style.
McManus splashed the cash to buy I Am Maximus after the gelding ran with much credit at the Cheltenham Festival.
The seven-year-old, owned previously by Mike Grech, finished fourth in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase at Cheltenham.
READ MORE: Irish Grand National live tips, news and more for all the action at Fairyhouse
This performance convinced McManus to buy the gelding and on his very first run in the famous green and gold silks, he scooped the €500,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
Initially looking to be struggling in the hands of Paul Townend, the Willie Mullins-trained horse slowly crept his way into a race run at a ferocious gallop.
And the 8/1 shot hit the front in the closing stages to win by a length from the Gordon Elliott-trained duo Gevrey and Defi Bleu in second and third place, respectively.
It was Paul Townend's first victory in the race, while McManus last won the race in 2014 with Shutthefrontdoor.
Speaking after the race, McManus said: "I'm so lucky to have him. I won this forty years ago with Bit Of A Skite, with Edward O'Grady and Tommy Ryan.
"I'm just very excited to win it. I don't think you ever get tired of winning the Irish Grand National. I must compliment Paul [Townend] and the ride he gave the horse.
"If he was listening to him, I would have said to pull him up after going a mile. But fair to play him, he dug and stayed really. It's really special.
"You have to stay and he did that and did it in spades."
After buying the horse, McManus' racing manager Frank Berry was already plotting a route to the Irish Grand National.
Berry said at the time: "I Am Maximus seemed to run very well at Cheltenham when fourth in the Brown Advisory and he has a good bit of experience too.
"We'll wait and see what we will do with him now. He has a couple of options including the Irish National, but we will see what Willie wants to do with him."
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