The dream is still on, and burning pretty bright. Amberleigh House's performance on his return to Aintree after that unforgettable Grand National success in April was nothing short of magnificent.
More importantly, it creates the possibility that the 12-year-old, and his irrepressible trainer Ginger McCain, might win the world's most famous steeplechase again.
Required to carry most weight in the Becher Chase, staged on testing, rain-softened going, Amberleigh House, ridden by Graham Lee, was a courageous fifth.
In completing his seventh race from eight starts over the famous fences, he once more proved the horses-for-courses theory, or as McCain's son Donald puts it: "He's six inches taller at Aintree."
Nowadays, however, the Becher Chase - over about two-thirds of the Grand National course - is too short; in another mile, however, things might have been very different.
Put simply, he ran out of race, and was beaten by just over 15 lengths by a useful young pretender in Silver Birch. Superb stuff.
There is some 25-1 around about Amberleigh House winning the Grand National again, and I think that is an absolute steal.
An each-way bet is advised as realistically third or fourth is the most likely result, and we still collect at a quarter of the odds.
Come the John Smiths Grand National on 9 April he will not have so much weight and the going is unlikely to be quite so soft.
And, as the most accomplished jumper of an Aintree fence in modern times, having a few more to clear is hopefully a bonus.
Were Amberleigh House to do it again, it would make Ginger McCain truly Mr Grand National.
He and Red Rum before him have presented their trainer with four Grand National successes, equalling the record held by the late Fred Rimell.
A fifth would be extraordinary, but considering that McCain's story, from car salesman, training on Southport sands, to racing legend is amongst the sport's most romantic, it would be fitting indeed. He reveres Aintree and everything that it stands for, as was born out in an interview with BBC Radio Five Live.
He said: "I really don't mind going there and not winning, really I don't. It's about brave men and brave horses, and I'm equally satisfied when we just run a big race at that wonderful, wonderful place."
In which case, after Amberleigh House's latest visit, he is a satisfied man.
MMIX
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