A trio of Irish-trained horses – last year's runner-up Any Second Now, Conflated and Hewick – will carry a top weight of 11st 12lb in the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 15.
While trainer Emmet Mullins' 2022 hero Noble Yeats will carry 1lb off top weight on 11st11lb at Aintree in his bid to defend his crown. He remains on course for a crack at both the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at next month's Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National.
The weights, framed for a fifth year by the British Horseracing Authority's lead jumps handicapper Martin Greenwood, for the 78 entries left in were revealed for the world's greatest steeplechase at the traditional lunch at St George's Hall in Liverpool city centre. Although almost immediately another Irish trainer Henry De Bromhead confirmed Minella Times, who helped Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the Grand National two years ago, would not run and was being retired.
Noble Yeats famously won the National under amateur Sam Waley-Cohen on his final ride as a jockey back in April, to become the first seven-year-old since Bogskar in 1940 to land the great race. And having won back at Aintree in Grade Two Many Clouds Chase in December before finishing third to Ahoy Senor in the Grade Two Paddy Power Cotswold Chase last month, the Robert Waley-Cohen-trained eight-year-old is set to line up in Grade One company in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March where he will be ridden by his new regular partner Sean Bowen. Then he is likely to return to Aintree to try and win again. Only five-time Gold Cup hero Golden Miller has won both of National Hunt's flagship events in the same season, back in 1934. Noble Yeats is currently a 10-1 favourite with most bookmakers including official betting partner William Hill and is a best-priced 11-1 with Unibet for the Grand National.
READ MORE: Quick Wave wins Grand National Trial at Haydock Park
Trainer Mullins admitted he “can’t complain” after the handicapper put Noble Yeats up by a 19lbs higher rating in this year’s Grand National. But Mullins is hopeful Noble Yeats is up to the task of carrying such a big weight. County Carlow handler Mullins said: “I can’t complain with a rating of 166. It’s 19lbs more than last year which will be a big ask but he seems to have progressed well this year and we know he takes to the fences. It’s horses for courses and fingers crossed he can put up a bold show.”
He added: “I suppose we had a bit of a hiccup the first time up (Auteuil) and it didn’t go to plan but since then we haven’t looked back and he ran very well in his two wins. And while he didn’t win at Cheltenham on his last run, he galloped all the way to the line so staying is definitely his forte.”
On the bid to follow Golden Miller into the history books, Mullins said: “It’s definitely one race at a time. You don’t think of the accolades but if he is lucky enough to do it then he’ll get the accolades that he deserves.
“It’s special to have a horse run in those types of races, a Gold Cup or a Grand National, but to have a horse who you know is good enough to compete in them at the business end of those races – that’s the exciting part and what keeps the yard going.
“I would say it hasn’t really fully sunk in even now. Winning the National on our first try in the race, it has probably been lost on me how much goes into it and how many other years people have been trying to win the race and not succeeded, so I’d say I’ve been spoilt a bit and it’s hard to comprehend what happened. I’m sure one day it’ll hit me!”
Mullins also has the JP McManus-owned The Shunter entered in the Grand National and he will carry 10st11lb.
His trainer added: “That’s about right. He’s still not qualified I think, on the distance, so potentially he might have an entry next weekend. I have two or three races earmarked before the deadline and, fingers crossed, I pick the right one and get him qualified. The intention will be to take his place then if he gets qualified.
“We have until March 28 but it’s just the case of trying to find races for horses of 150. That’s the tricky part.”
On potentially winning a third Grand National for legendary owner JP McManus, Mullins said: “It is definitely a target and you’d always be hopeful of getting Mr McManus another winner. “I think he should be fine over the National fences. He’s not a big, exuberant jumper. He’s more calculated. I’d much prefer that than the more extravagant, big jumping horses and something that’s nimble and can fiddle away around Aintree is a big asset."
Of those who finished behind Noble Yeats last year Ted Walsh's Any Second Now – who was third and runner-up for the past two runnings – will carry top weight of 11st12lb, the Gordon Elliott-trained Delta Work (third) was handed 11st4lb, and Martin Brassil's Longhouse Poet (sixth) will carry 11st. Any Second Now is a best-priced 20-1 with Paddy Power to make it third time lucky at Aintree, while Delta Work and Longhouse Poet are a best-priced 25-1 and 20-1 chances with Coral.
The number of Irish contenders is now 50 out of the 78 left in and 30 of the top 40 horses in the weights are also from the Emerald Isle as they look to continue their recent near stranglehold of the world's greatest steeplechase. Five of the last six winners have been trained in Ireland.
Another Irish-trained entry and joint top-weight is Hewick, who won the American Grand National at Far Hills, New Jersey, in October. Hewick is heading for a crack at the Gold Cup first and the John “Shark” Hanlon-trained nine. Battleship is the only horse in history to win both the American and Aintree Grand Nationals. He won the American version in 1934 before triumphing at Aintree four years later under 17-year-old jockey Bruce Hobbs.
Hanlon also has Cape Gentleman entered in this year's Grand National and he will carry 10st8lb. The seven-year-old is owned by Pierre Manigault, whose great-grandfather, Stephen Sanford owned the 1923 Aintree hero Sergeant Murphy.
Among other Irish contenders, Emmet Mullins' uncle Willie Mullins has eight entries this time. The County Carlow handlers won the Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005 and has saddled two runners-up in recent years with Pleasant Company and Rathvinden behind Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The Irish champion trainer's octet this time are headed by Capodanno (11st5lb) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (11st), who are both Grade One-winning novices.
Mullins' great rival in Ireland and triple Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott has almost a quarter of the entries this time with 19 overall. The Cullentra House team is headed by last year's third and a winner at last year's Cheltenham Festival Delta Work. Elliott could also run two others who featured in last year's National in Coko Beach (11st) and Escaria Ten (10st10lb), who finished eighth and ninth in 2022 respectively. Others for Elliott include Galvin (11st11lb) and Conflated (11st12lb) – the last two winners of the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown and Fury Road (11st6lb), who was third to Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs in last Saturday's Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup. Nine of Elliott's entries are owned by Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud – who have won the race three times with Rule The World in 2016 and dual hero Tiger Roll.
Venetia Williams' Quick Wave, who won the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock Park on Saturday, was handed 10st11lb and the 10-year-old is a best-priced 40-1 with Coral.
READ MORE: Grand National 2023: dates, tickets and how to watch on TV
Two of the other leading British-trained runners come from the Dan Skelton stable in Le Milos, who won the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November, and Ashtown Lad, who showed his liking for the Grand National fences when winning the Boylesports Becher Chase at Aintree the following month. Le Milos will carry 10st11lb and Ashtown Lad, who finished third in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday, has been handed 10st3lb and is currently not guaranteed a run at 52nd of the list of the 77 entries. Le Milos is a 25-1 chance with Bet365 and BetfVictor and Ashtown Lad is a best-priced 40-1 with Skybet.
Other home challengers are Remastered (11st), from the David Pipe stable which won the Grand National with Comply Or Die in 2008; the Lucinda Russell-trained Corach Rambler (10st5lb) and Donald McCain's Minella Trump (10st6lb) and he is now 38th on the current list of runners. Merseyside-born McCain won the Grand National with Ballabriggs in 2011 and could have a runner in the race this time 50 years on from when his father and four-time Grand National winner Ginger McCain and his Red Rum won the Aintree showpiece for the first time in 1973. Corach Rambler was cut by most bookmakers for glory and is now vying for favouritism at a best-priced 14-1 with most William Hill, Coral and Betfred with Minella Trump is a 66-1 chance.
McCain said: "It’s all about getting in the race and getting a run and if we can get him there then, obviously it’s a way off yet, but that’s ideal.”
On what the Grand National means to his family, McCain added: “Let’s just get him there first and worry about that later! We’ve been a while without a runner in the race but we’re building a team of young horses up and hopefully he’s the first of a line going forward.”
There is also a Merseyside-owned horse in the race in Roi Mage and he is guaranteed a run for a syndicate which includes former Adelphi Hotel bell boy Jim Beaumont, who co-owned Sue Smith's 2013 winner Auroras Encore The Patrick Griffin-trained 11-year-old will carry 10st8lb and is 36th on the list.
Burnley-born BHA handicapper Greenwood is able to deviate from official ratings when he frames the handicap and his framing of the weights this year for a fifth year, he said: "This year we are doing well at the top end for horses rated in the 150s and 160s and there are a handful of very good horses entered, including last year’s winner Noble Yeats.
“Noble Yeats has around 20lbs more than last year but his form this season in Graded races is the reason for that. The three horses at the top of the handicap – Conflated, Any Second Now and Hewick – you would think are all quite likely to run and it’s very positive that the quality of the race at the top end of the handicap is well up to standard.
“As regards Hewick’s win in the American Grand National, we officially regard that race as a hurdle race on our system as the obstacles there are a kind of mix between our hurdles and fences. The hurdle team had him running up to a mark in the mid-150s when he won that day and I don’t think it told us anything about him we didn’t already know really. Obviously the fact he cost so little, won at Sandown Park, was unlucky when he unseated at Listowel, has been over to America and won means he is the feelgood story of the race. His trainer has been very positive and I hope he runs.
“There weren’t any horses that caused me any particular difficulties this year – they were all more or less straightforward horses. In terms of getting a run on the day, I would say you would be looking at horses rated around 142 or 143.”
Weights for the 83 Grand National 2023 entries at Aintree:
List of entries and weights for the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Class 1), (4m2f74y) at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, April 15 2023 (5.15pm).
No, Name, Age, Weight, Rating, Owner, Trainer
1 Any Second Now (IRE) 11-11-12 167 Mr JP McManus Ted Walsh IRE
2 Conflated (IRE) 9-11-12 167 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
3 Hewick (IRE) 8-11-12 167 Mr TJ Mcdonald John Hanlon IRE
4 Galvin (IRE) 9-11-11 166 Mr RA Bartlett Gordon Elliott IRE
5 Noble Yeats (IRE) 8-11-11 166 Mr Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins IRE
6 Envoi Allen (FR) 9-11-8 163 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
7 Royale Pagaille (FR) 9-11-8 163 Mrs S. Ricci Venetia Williams
8 Fury Road (IRE) 9-11-6 161 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
9 Capodanno (FR) 7-11-5 160 Mr JP McManus Willie Mullins IRE
10 The Big Dog (IRE) 10-11-5 160 Damien J Kelly/Colin Kelly Peter Fahey IRE
11 Delta Work (FR) 10-11-4 159 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
12 Sam Brown (GB) 11-11-4 159 Mr TC Frost Anthony Honeyball
13 Franco de Port (FR) 8-11-3 158 Bruton Street V Willie Mullins IRE
14 Lifetime Ambition (IRE) 8-11-3 158 Linda Mulcahy/Mary Wolridge Jessica Harrington IRE
15 Carefully Selected (IRE) 11-11-1 156 Miss MA Masterson Willie Mullins IRE
16 Chris's Dream (IRE) 11-11-0 155 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
17 Coko Beach (FR) 8-11-0 155 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
18 Gaillard du Mesnil (FR) 7-11-0 155 Mrs J Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
19 Longhouse Poet (IRE) 9-11-0 155 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil IRE
*20 Minella Times (IRE) 10-11-0 155 Mr JP McManus Henry de Bromhead IRE
21 Darasso (FR) 10-10-13 154 Mr JP McManus Joseph O'Brien IRE
22 Burrows Saint (FR) 10-10-12 153 Mrs S Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
23 Pencilfulloflead (IRE) 9-10-12 153 Robcour Gordon Elliott IRE
24 Ga Law (FR) 7-10-11 152 The Footie Partnership Jamie Snowden
25 Happygolucky (IRE) 9-10-11 152 Lady Dulverton Kim Bailey
26 Le Milos (GB) 8-10-11 152 The Jolly Good Partnership Dan Skelton
27 Quick Wave (FR) 10-10-11 152 Ms Sharon Kinsella Venetia Williams
28 The Shunter (IRE) 10-10-11 152 Mr JP McManus Emmet Mullins IRE
29 Escaria Ten (FR) 9-10-10 151 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott IRE
30 Farclas (FR) 9-10-10 151 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
31 Remastered (GB) 10-10-10 151 Brocade Racing David Pipe
32 The Big Breakaway (IRE) 8-10-10 151 Eric Jones, Geoff Nicholas, John Romans Joe Tizzard
33 Threeunderthrufive (IRE) 8-10-9 150 McNeill Family Paul Nicholls
34 Cape Gentleman (IRE) 7-10-8 149 Mr Pierre Manigault John Hanlon IRE
35 Cilaos Emery (FR) 11-10-8 149 The Has Been's Sophie Leech
36 Diol Ker (FR) 9-10-8 149 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
37 Roi Mage (FR) 11-10-8 149 Pryde/Van Der Hoeven/McGladery/Beaumont Patrick Griffin IRE
38 A Wave of The Sea (IRE) 7-10-6 147 Mr JP McManus Joseph O'Brien IRE
39 Minella Trump (IRE) 9-10-6 147 Mr TG Leslie Donald McCain
40 Vanillier (FR) 8-10-6 147 Mrs HM Keaveney Gavin Cromwell IRE
41 Velvet Elvis (IRE) 7-10-6 147 Mr D Kierans Tom Gibney IRE
42 Ain't That A Shame (IRE) 9-10-5 146 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
43 Corach Rambler (IRE) 9-10-5 146 The Ramblers Lucinda Russell
44 Enjoy d'Allen (FR) 9-10-5 146 Mr JP McManus Ciaran Murphy IRE
45 Lord Lariat (IRE) 8-10-5 146 P Blake/Patrick John Casey Dermot McLoughlin IRE
46 Ash Tree Meadow (FR) 7-10-4 145 Alymer Stud Ltd Gordon Elliott IRE
47 Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 10-10-4 145 Pioneer Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
48 Cloudy Glen (IRE) 10-10-4 145 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Venetia Williams
49 Gin On Lime (FR) 7-10-4 145 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
50 Mister Coffey (FR) 8-10-4 145 Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford Nicky Henderson
51 Mr Incredible (IRE) 7-10-4 145 Mr P Byrne Willie Mullins IRE
52 Ashtown Lad (IRE) 9-10-3 144 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton
53 Gabbys Cross (IRE) 8-10-2 143 Mr RS Brookhouse Henry de Bromhead IRE
54 Hill Sixteen (GB) 10-10-2 143 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
55 Eva's Oskar (IRE) 9-10-1 142 Sally & Richard Prince Tim Vaughan
56 Rapper (GB) 9-10-1 142 The Home Farm Partnership Henry Daly
57 Recite A Prayer (IRE) 8-10-1 142 The Turner Family Willie Mullins IRE
58 Death Duty (IRE) 12-10-0 141 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
59 Dunboyne (IRE) 8-10-0 141 SP O'Connor Gordon Elliott IRE
60 Francky du Berlais (FR) 10-10-0 141 Mr Roddy Owen Peter Bowen
61 Frontal Assault (IRE) 8-10-0 141 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
62 Our Power (IRE) 8-10-0 141 Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group Sam Thomas
63 Sporting John (IRE) 8-10-0 141 Mr JP McManus Philip Hobbs
64 Back On The Lash (GB) 9-9-13 140 Maughan, Redknapp, Ryan, Salters Martin Keighley
65 Fortescue (GB) 9-9-13 140 Mrs L Nixon Henry Daly
66 Defi Bleu (FR) 10-9-12 139 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
67 Born By The Sea (IRE) 9-9-10 137 Natalie Gilligan Paul Gilligan IRE
68 Gevrey (FR) 7-9-10 137 Denis Gallagher Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
69 Milan Native (IRE) 10-9-10 137 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
70 Punitive (IRE) 9-9-10 137 Pioneer Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
71 Captain Kangaroo (IRE) 8-9-8 135 Kanga Racing & Brett Graham Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
72 Darrens Hope (IRE) 9-9-8 135 Robert Murphy Robert Murphy IRE
73 Fakiera (FR) 8-9-8 135 Mr T O'Driscoll Gordon Elliott IRE
74 Mortal (IRE) 11-9-8 135 Mr A Dunlop Gordon Elliott IRE
75 Captain Cattistock (GB) 10-9-5 132 Mr Nic Brereton Fergal O'Brien
76 Fantastikas (FR) 8-9-5 132 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Nigel Twiston-Davies
77 Secret Reprieve (IRE) 9-9-5 132 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan Williams
78 Glamorgan Duke (IRE) 10-9-1 128 Natalie Gilligan Paul Gilligan IRE
* Trainer Henry de Bromhead announced the retirement of Minella Times this morning (Tuesday, February 21)
SCRATCHED: Fiddlerontheroof (IRE), Grumpy Charley (GB), Iwilldoit (GB), Riders Onthe Storm (IRE). NOT QUALIFIED: Chemical Energy (IRE), Nearly Perfect (GB), Minella Crooner (IRE)
78 entries (52 Irish-trained)
