THE weights for the famous race were published today at a lunch event in Liverpool with many of the trainers and various connections attending. Hewick tops the weights off a mark of 169, with Irish-trained runners dominating the top 50.

Victory would see Gordon Elliott join Ginger McCain, Fred Rimell and 19th Century trainer George Dockery as a four-time winner of the race and he said: “It’s still a great thrill for us.

“We’d love to win it again and if we did it would be very special. It’s a great race - it’s one of the greatest races in the world. Tiger Roll winning the second was unbelievable.”

Asked which weights really stood out for him this year, he went on: “Galvin looks like he could be well handicapped. He was nearly top weight last year and he’s one who could be there.

“Chemical Energy is another. We’ve been keeping him for a bit of Spring ground so this has been the plan all year.”

Conflated is rated 166 and is set to carry a weight of 11st 9lb and Elliott said: “He could run. There’s every chance he could run.”

Eight-year-old Ash Tree Meadow, owned by Alymer Stud, is rated 159 and 11st 2lb by the handicapper and Elliott said: “He’s probably not that well handicapped. I don’t know about him.”

Galvin is rated at 155 and 10st 12lb for this year’s renewal, Elliott said: “He could be well handicapped compared to last year. He’ll definitely be going for the National. He’ll run at the Cross Country at Cheltenham first.”

Elliott said: “Farouk d’Alene might go to the Irish National and Salvador Ziggy will go for the National Hunt Chase (at Cheltenham) and he could go for the Randox Grand National afterwards.”

Elliott said of Fury Road, who is rated 152 and allocated 10st 9lb: “All’s good with him. He’ll definitely run.”

Elliott has two rated at 149 with a weight of 10st 6lb – Minella Crooner and Run Wild Fred – and he said: “Both of them will run if they get in.”

Chemical Energy was only bought by Bective Stud at this month’s Caldwell Construction dispersal sale and at 148 and a weight 10st 5lb will need only six horses to come out of the current list of entries to get a run in April. Elliott said: “He’ll definitely run.”

Elliott said: “We’ll have to wait and see with Favori de Champdou as he might go for the Irish National but The Goffer will definitely run if he gets in.”

Gavin Cromwell admits: "it's every trainer's dream to win the National"

Trainer Gavin Cromwell admitted he was left ruing “what could have been” after Vanillier was beaten into second in last year’s Randox Grand National but now dreams of going one better this April.

His rating has gone up from 147 at this stage last year to 151 and Cromwell said: “I’d have to be happy enough with that. It’s a lovely racing weight and having been second last year it’s got to be expected.

“He’s been trained for this race really and it’s a case of him coming in the Spring. He is a Spring horse. He’s going to have to improve plenty but he does have the experience of last year.”

Cromwell added: “We were obviously thrilled to be second in the Grand National but when you’re coming home well like that you do think about what could have been.

“But it was a great moment. We had lots of luck last year. He went round on the inside and got all the luck – you need luck in every National.

“It’s every trainer’s dream to win the Grand National and we’ll certainly give it a good shot again this year anyway.”

When told that Vanillier is the 12-1 favourite for this year’s Randox Grand National with the race’s official betting partner, William Hill, Cromwell laughed: “I won’t be worrying about that … but I hope they’re right!”

His trainer said of Letsbeclearaboutit, who is five places above Vanillier: “He’s a possible for the race. He needs one more run to qualify. He’s likely to go to Cheltenham and hopefully that’ll qualify him but the plan is certainly to go to Aintree.”

He added: “Limerick Lace will probably go to Cheltenham. We’ll see how that goes as to whether we go to Aintree. Malina Girl, she’s a fair way down the list but I would like to run her if we can.”

John McConnell is "very excited" about the prospect of his first ever runner in the Randox Grand National after his Coral Gold Cup runner-up was given a weight of 11st 1lb via a rating of 158.

At number 14 on the list his gelding, Mahler Mission, is guaranteed a run and McConnell said of his rating: “I knew he got up to 158 after the Coral Gold Cup so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise. It’s fine isn’t it? It’s a nice weight.

“He’d be my first National runner. I had a first reserve about three years ago but he didn’t get in so at least he’ll (Mahler Mission) get in.

“It’s very exciting to be going there with a horse and maybe a horse with a chance as well. I didn’t expect him to be so high. I thought there would be more high quality horses entered.”

“He definitely wouldn’t be going to Cheltenham though. He doesn’t need to be having a hard race before the National.”

Asked if Mahler Mission’s connections were keen on a trip to Aintree, he replied: “The owners are leaving it up to me but you’re kind of limited where you can go with a guy with his rating anyway.

“At the minute he’s still a little bit short of Gold Cup class so you have to go for one of the big, big handicaps and way he jumps he looks like Aintree should suit him, so it’s an obvious target.

“He probably does handle all ground but slow, good ground or good to soft is fine for him and he’s got a high cruising speed as well, so he shouldn’t be taken off his feet if they did go quick early.

“Obviously you need an awful lot of luck and you need to be 110% for it but he certainly ticks a lot of the boxes.”