Waters are parting for Mullins in National

Meetingofthewaters has plenty going for him ahead of what promises to be an attritional Randox Grand National and can put Willie Mullins bang there in the race for the trainers’ championship.

The Closutton maestro carried all before him again at the Cheltenham Festival, where this sevenyear-old was not one of his leading lights but ran a superb trial for Aintree.

Despite having to fiddle his way over quite a few fences under Mark Walsh, he was travelling strongly entering the home straight but had to settle for third after ballooning the penultimate obstacle.

Having unseated Brian Hayes at the first fence when hampered at the Dublin Racing Festival, that was effectively his first outing since the festive period and Meetingofthewaters just ran a touch freely early on.

With any cobwebs now blown away, he should settle better tomorrow and more improvement is expected.

Walsh prefers to ride Limerick Lace but it will be no inconvenience to have Danny Mullins back on board, as he was in the saddle when Meetingofthewaters jumped better over Christmas and won the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown, proving he can handle a big field.

Formerly trained by Eugene O’Sullivan, he has been at Closutton for less than a year and it would be no surprise to see his current connections get more out of him, plus he is at the right end of the weights for running this famous marathon in gruelling conditions.

SELECTIONS AINTREE:

1.20 West Balboa, 1.55 Brighterdaysahead, 2.30 Crebilly, 3.05 Sire Du Berlais, 4.00 1. MEETINGOFTHEWATERS (NAP), 2. I Am Maximus, 3. Mr Incredible, 4. Panda Boy, 5.00 Found A Fifty, 5.35 Mister Meggit. CHELMSFORD: 10.00 Winter Snowfall, 10.30 Urban Road, 11.00 Blake,

11.30 Benavente, 12.00 Placated, 12.30 Aces Wild, 1.05 Prince Ali.