THERE is a sense of anticipation generated by the publication of entries for the Grand National, the feeling that there is a twisting road ahead before the spectacular drama of the race itself in April.

Part of that is purely a reminder of the sense of occasion evoked by the great race, but there are other aspects which instil excitement. Discovering who is missing from the entries, and whose name appears unexpectedly is a source of intrigue, and then thoughts turn to what weights will be allocated, and in turn who is likely to make the final cut.