Waters the one to end Mullins’ National drought

By Bill Esdaile

YOU CAN almost certainly count on one hand the amount of big races that Willie Mullins has won only once.

And while Saturday’s Randox Grand National (4.00pm) isn’t exactly an easy race to win, the fact the Closutton supremo has only trained the winner of it once will be a statistic he’ll be keen to change.

Like many, I’ve been through the race numerous times and while I’m not mad keen on him at 8/1, I do think MEETINGOFTHEWATERS is still the most likely winner.

We put him up a few weeks ago at 16/1, which given he’s much shorter now, leaves us in a nice position, and the case made then still stands.

If you go through the field, he’s one of few who you could look at in a year’s time and see being rated much higher.

He is a little keen in his races which he’ll need to do less of, but he cruised into contention in the Ultima – a race which is a good marker for the National – and while he was no match for the winner, he looks sure to appreciate this marathon trip.

He’s the main fancy, but this is the Grand National, and I’m certainly going to throw a dart at a few more starting with PANDA BOY.

Trained by one of the shrewdest operators going in Martin Brassil, the eight-year-old looks to have a profile tailormade for this.

Granted, he doesn’t win perhaps as much as he should, but he runs big races in these big handicaps time and time again, and I still think he could be well-handicapped.

He looks a rock-solid each-way bet at 14/1 with Star Sports.

The Irish look very strong this year and another I like is DELTA WORK.

As mentioned, Cross Country winners tend to run very well in this race and I keep coming back to Delta Work and think he’s almost certain to go off shorter than 25/1.

Surely his season has been targeted around another big spring campaign and while the Cross Country would have been the aim, that being abandoned means he comes here fresh.

He might be an 11-year-old, but he doesn’t have that many miles on the clock and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran a fine race off a big weight.

At the prices, last year’s runner-up Vanillier looks Gavin Cromwell’s best chance, but the fact Mark Walsh has picked LIMERICK LACE really caught my attention.

I thought she won the Mares’ Chase really nicely last time, and while she’s another with stamina doubts, Walsh wouldn’t have picked her for nothing.

She might end up being the real springer in the market and go off shorter than the current 16/1.

Mares might go okay this year as GALIA DES LITEAUX is the final one I had on my shortlist.

She’s enjoyed a really productive season and was only just touched off in the Classic Chase at Warwick, showing stamina is her forte.

The Skeltons can barely do anything wrong at the moment and with Dan in with a serious shot of winning the trainers’ title, their horses are going to be primed at Aintree.

Their charge will love the bad ground and is another who can go well at a decent price.

BILL ESDAILE’S GRAND NATIONAL 1-2-3-4-5