Corach Rambler looks set to go off favourite in the defence of his Grand National title for the Lucinda Russell team; the JP McManus-owned duo of Meetingofthewaters and I Am Maximus have both been well-backed for the Willie Mullins team ahead of Saturday's Aintree showpiece
Wednesday 10 April 2024 17:53, UK
2003 Grand National winner Barry Geraghty thinks two Irish contenders are the ones to side with in this year's Aintree showpiece.
Geraghty won the race on Monty's Pass for trainer Jimmy Mangan, landing one of the biggest National gambles in recent memory.
Corach Rambler rates a strong favourite for this year's race having won the 2023 renewal in good fashion for the Lucinda Russell team, and warmed up with an excellent staying-on third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
But it is the well-backed JP McManus-owned Meetingofthewaters, trained by Willie Mullins, who has caught the eye of Geraghty, as well as one for the John McConnell team at a big price.
"I'm with Meetingofthewaters," Geraghty told the Off The Fence digital show. "He was very good at Christmas at Leopardstown and got a good penalty for that.
"In his first run back in the Ultima [Handicap Chase at Cheltenham], he looked like a horse who would improve for the run so I would like him.
"He's only a seven-year-old so he's not exposed, but, to me, he's a horse who is well in on the handicap and if this was a regular chase, he's the one you'd want to be on.
"Of the others, I thought Mahler Mission who was second in the old Hennessy [Coral Gold Cup] behind Datsalrightgino and he's been kept for this race.
"They had put out the idea of going for the Gold Cup but changed their mind on that and have trained him for this.
"He has enough weight in comparison to Corach Rambler so you could argue he's not that well handicapped.
"That was a good run in a handicap and he's going to love the trip, and I'd like him too."
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