A Willie Mullins-trained trio are being backed by punters ahead of next weekend's Grand National at Aintree.
Last year's Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus, Paddy Power Chase victor Meetingofthewaters and recent Midlands National runner-up Mr Incredible have all been proving popular with backers in recent days.
Unsurprisingly punters are siding with horses proven in heavy conditions as the rain continues to pour in Liverpool.
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Mullins has a nine strong entry for the Aintree Grand National, with I Am Maximus leading the charge for the Closutton team, He has been backed from a high of 22/1 into 8/1 second favourite in recent weeks. The eight-year-old is already a Grade One and Irish Grand National winner on soft ground and could relish conditions if Aintree remains testing.
Meetingofthewaters, who was last seen finishing third to Chanti Classico on heavy ground at the Cheltenham Festival is another well supported runner from the yard, having been backed from 20/1 into 12/1 on the back of that performance. The 20/1 about the talented but quirky Mr Incredible has also been snapped up by punters owing to his endless stamina and affinity for bottomless ground and he is a now 16/1 chance.
Of the British contenders, Gary Moore’s Nassalam, who pulverised the field on heavy going in the Welsh Grand National has been supported into 25/1 from 40/1 in recent days, while Christian Williams’ Kitty’s Light, who has stamina in reserves but has yet to prove himself on soft ground, has also been nibbled at and is a 14/1 shot.
Long time favourite Corach Rambler remains at the head of the betting at 4/1 and should have no problems with juice in the ground having won an Ultima on soft. Trainer Lucinda Russell, however, has expressed her concerns of the unsettled forecast deteriorating the ground further and the marathon race being run on heavy ground.
Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “With the weather forecast looking unsettled across Liverpool for the next week, some punters are looking to get ahead of the field and snap up big prices about the horses that relish testing conditions.”
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