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
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