LAST year’s winner Minella Times has been left at the top of the weights in Saturday’s Randox Grand National following the defection of his stablemate Chris’s Dream.

Minella Times claimed a historic victory 12 months ago as Rachael Blackmore became the first female rider to win the world’s most famous steeplechase.

Tiger Roll

But Henry de Bromhead’s nine-year-old will have to carry 11st 10lb this time around as he bids to follow in the hoofprints of Tiger Roll by successfully defending his crown.

The only other horse previously in the top 40 that has been taken out is the Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad. He could instead tackle the famous fences in Friday’s Topham Chase.

Defections

The beneficiaries of the two defections are another De Bromhead runner in Poker Party and Dan Skelton’s Blaklion, who are now guaranteed a place in the field.

The top three in the market are Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work (11st 9lb), the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now (11st 8lb) and Snow Leopardess (10st 9lb) from Charlie Longsdon’s yard.

Squad

Elliott’s strong squad also includes Escaria Ten (11st 1lb) and Farclas (11st 1lb), while Ciaran Murphy’s Enjoy d’Allen (10st 11lb) is another leading contender from Ireland.

Elliott’s Death Duty and Sean Curran’s Domaine De L’Isle currently occupy the 41st and 42nd spots respectively.

Emma Lavelle’s Eclair Surf, second to easy Scottish National winner Win My Wings in the Eider Chase last time out, is currently 43rd on the list.

5:15pm Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 4m 2f 74y

1 Minella Times (IRE) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus Henry de Bromhead Ireland

2 Delta Work (FR) 9 11 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jack Kennedy

3 Easysland (FR) 8 11 8 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo O'Neill

4 Any Second Now (IRE) 10 11 8 Mr John P. McManus T. M. Walsh Ireland

5 Run Wild Fred (IRE) 8 11 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Davy Russell

6 Lostintranslation (IRE) 10 11 6 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard

7 Brahma Bull (IRE) 11 11 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

8 Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9 11 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Kevin Sexton

9 Burrows Saint (FR) 9 11 5 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

10 Mount Ida (IRE) 8 11 5 KTDA Racing Gordon Elliott Ireland Denis O'Regan

11 Longhouse Poet (IRE) 8 11 4 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil Ireland

12 Fiddlerontheroof (IRE) 8 11 4 Taylor, Burley & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard

13 Two For Gold (IRE) 9 11 3 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership 2 Kim Bailey

14 Santini 10 11 2 Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes Polly Gundry

15 Samcro (IRE) 10 11 1 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Sean Bowen

16 Farclas (FR) 8 11 1 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jody McGarvey

17 Escaria Ten (FR) 8 11 1 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott Ireland A. P. Heskin

18 Good Boy Bobby (IRE) 9 10 13 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies

19 Lord du Mesnil (FR) 9 10 13 Mr Paul Porter & Mike & Mandy Smith Richard Hobson

20 Coko Beach (FR) 7 10 13 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Sean Flanagan

21 De Rasher Counter 10 10 12 Makin' Bacon Partnership Emma Lavelle

22 Caribean Boy (FR) 8 10 12 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson

23 Court Maid (IRE) 9 10 12 Mr Anthony Paul Smurfit Henry de Bromhead Ireland

24 Kildisart (IRE) 10 10 11 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Ben Pauling

25 Discorama (FR) 9 10 11 Andrew Gemmell/Thomas Friel Paul Nolan Ireland

26 Top Ville Ben (IRE) 10 10 11 Harbour Rose Partnership Philip Kirby

27 Enjoy d'Allen (FR) 8 10 11 Mr John P. McManus Ciaran Murphy Ireland

28 Anibale Fly (FR) 12 10 11 Mr John P. McManus A. J. Martin Ireland

29 Dingo Dollar (IRE) 10 10 11 M Warren J Holmes R Kidner & J Wright Sandy Thomson

30 Freewheelin Dylan (IRE) 10 10 10 Miss Sheila Mangan Dermot Anthony McLoughlin Ireland

31 Class Conti (FR) 10 10 10 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

32 Noble Yeats (IRE) 7 10 10 Mr Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins Ireland

33 Mighty Thunder 9 10 10 Allson Sparkle Ltd Lucinda Russell

34 Cloth Cap (IRE) 10 10 10 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill

35 Snow Leopardess 10 10 9 Andrew Fox-Pitt Charlie Longsdon

36 Agusta Gold (IRE) 9 10 9 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland

37 Phoenix Way (IRE) 9 10 9 Mr John P. McManus Harry Fry

38 Deise Aba (IRE) 9 10 8 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Philip Hobbs

39 Blaklion 13 10 8 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

40 Poker Party (FR) 10 10 8 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland

41 Death Duty (IRE) 11 10 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jordan Gainford

42 Domaine de L'Isle (FR) 9 10 7 Mr L M Power and Mr Ian Hutchins Sean Curran

43 Eclair Surf (FR) 8 10 6 Dominic Burke & Tim Syder Emma Lavelle

44 Fortescue 8 10 6 Mr T. F. F. Nixon Henry Daly

45 Commodore (FR) 10 10 5 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams

46 School Boy Hours (IRE) 9 10 5 Mr John P. McManus Noel Meade Ireland

47 Romain de Senam (FR) 10 10 5 Judith Wilson David Pipe

48 Roi Mage (FR) 10 10 3 Mr D. G. Pryde Patrick Griffin Ireland

49 Full Back (FR) 7 10 3 Mr Ashley Head Gary Moore

50 Smoking Gun (IRE) 9 10 3 D.Barnard,N.Courtney,M.Madden,Gin&GGee's Gordon Elliott Ireland

51 Scoir Mear (IRE) 12 10 3 Mr John P. McManus Thomas Mullins Ireland

52 Mac Tottie 9 10 2 Steve & Jackie Fleetham Peter Bowen

53 Hill Sixteen 9 10 1 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson

54 Discordantly (IRE) 8 10 1 The Odd Fellows Partnership Mrs J. Harrington Ireland

55 Plan of Attack (IRE) 9 10 1 Mr A. Halsall Henry de Bromhead Ireland

56 Secret Reprieve (IRE) 8 10 1 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan Williams

57 Potters Corner (IRE) 12 10 1 All Stars Sports, Davies & RacehorseClub Christian Williams

58 Robin des Foret (IRE) 12 10 0 The 119 Partnership John McConnell Ireland

59 Mortal (IRE) 10 10 0 Mr A. Dunlop Gordon Elliott Ireland

60 Defi Bleu (FR) 9 10 0 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

61 Definite Plan (IRE) 10 10 0 Mr James J. Reilly Gordon Elliott Ireland

62 Mister Whitaker (IRE) 10 10 0 Mr T. G. Leslie Donald McCain

63 Pink Eyed Pedro 11 9 12 Mr David Brace David Brace

64 Larry 9 9 12 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership Gary Moore

65 Achille (FR) 12 9 12 Mrs Vida Bingham Venetia Williams

66 The Two Amigos 10 9 11 Bradley Partnership Nicky Martin

67 The Hollow Ginge (IRE) 9 9 9 The Ginge Army Nigel Twiston-Davies

68 Didero Vallis (FR) 9 9 7 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams

69 Stones And Roses (IRE) 8 9 7 P. Reilly/C. Reilly W. P. Mullins Ireland

70 Gwencily Berbas (FR) 11 9 7 Mr Aidan J. Ryan David Pipe

71 Jerrysback (IRE) 10 9 7 Mr John P. McManus Ben Haslam

72 Alpha des Obeaux (FR) 12 9 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

73 Via Dolorosa (FR) 10 9 2 Judith Wilson David Pipe

73 entries remain

35 Irish-trained