Grand National Lucky Dip

Last season was extremely positive for Meetingofthewaters with two wins including a 99k handicap. The gelding was sent off second favourite for the Paddy Power Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting as punters surmised that the gelding was very attractively handicapped and so it proved with Meetingofthewaters recording a smooth four and a half length victory under a confident Danny Mullins. That big win prompted JP McManus to step in to buy the horse from previous owner Paul Byrne in time for the horse to run in the green and gold colours at the Cheltenham Festival. Meetingofthewaters finished third there just under six lengths behind winner Chianti Classico. That good run at Cheltenham prompted trainer Willie Mullins to chance the young horse in the Grand National where he could be seen moving well throughout the race. Danny Mullins was in the plate and when his ride jumped the last almost in a line with the leaders it looked as if Meetingofthewaters was going to be right there at the finish. As it was he ended up finishing seventh when he seemed to run out of petrol in the last 100 yards. This season seems to have been implemented with a return trip to Aintree as the ultimate goal once again. The eight-year-old gelding has been well beaten in both his chase efforts but in between those he was sent off an extremely well-backed favourite for a 50k handicap hurdle at the DRF. Connections had spotted that the gelding was rated an incredible thirty-six pounds lower over hurdles and tried to exploit that mark but unfortunately the gamble was not landed as Meetingofthewaters trailed in well beaten. That defeat over hurdles has to leave a question mark as to if the gelding is in anywhere near the same form of last season.  The UK handicapper has given Meetingofthewaters a mark one pound higher than last season’s effort at Aintree but with the gelding's form very much in question, it would require a big leap of faith to support Meetingofthewaters this year.