98 Grand National Runners

There are 98 Grand National runners to be reduced to 40 by April 5th as there are a total of 98 entries remaining in the handicap for this years Grand National. The weights are now headed by Celestial Gold, winner of the John Smith’s Bowl at Aintree in April, 2006. The 10-year-old gelding is set to carry 11st 12lb in the four and a half mile event, following the defection of original top weight Beef Or Salmon. Trainer David Pipe has nine entries in total, including Comply Or Die, Madison du Berlais and Over The Creek.

Cloudy Lane cemented his place at the head of the antepost market with an emphatic victory in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster on Saturday, beating fellow Aintree hopefuls Mr Pointment, Ungaro, Lankawi and Joes Edge. The eight-year-old gelding, trained by Donald McCain Jnr, is currently 6/1 favourite with the Tote, the official betting partner of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting.

Last year’s runner-up McKelvey made his first appearance of the season on the same Doncaster card, finishing a creditable eighth over hurdles. Trainer Peter Bowen has the most entries remaining with 11 still engaged, including last year’s John Smith’s Topham Chase winner Dunbrody Millar.

Slim Pickings, just behind McKelvey when finishing a close third in last year’s John Smith’s Grand National, was also in action over the weekend. Tom Taaffe’s nine-year-old gelding, a 16/1 chance this year, recorded a close fifth in the Mick Holly Memorial Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs at Gowran Park on March 2, a race which also featured other potential Irish raiders In The High Grass and Baily Breeze.

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