Merigo on National trail

Merigo's will be aimed at the John Smith's Grand National despite his Becher Chase fall at Aintree earlier this season.

Freezing weather of more concern to trainer

Merigo's will be aimed at the John Smith's Grand National despite his Becher Chase fall at Aintree earlier this season. Andrew Parker has been battling the cold-snap of late and that - rather than the November tumble - is giving him cause for concern. "We've been severely held up by the weather, with the temperature getting down to minus 14C on quite a lot of nights, and that has scuppered a lot of our plans," said Parker. "He'll be entered for the Grand National and for the Scottish National again. "Timmy said he was jumping very well up to the point he fell in the Becher Chase. Basically he asked him for a long one and he came down too sharply when he's really a horse that you just leave alone at the fences. "I schooled him myself a couple of days later and he was absolutely brilliant again. "If he runs again before the weights come out for the National it will probably be over hurdles, which won't move his chasing mark up or down. But if he gets 137, it would make it difficult to get in. Merigo is a general 25-1 shot at this stage.