Last year's historic winner Minella Times will carry 11st4lb in his bid to become only the ninth dual winner in the 2022 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 9.
After the weights were revealed at the traditional lunch in the Rum Warehouse at Stanley Dock, Gordon Elliott duo Conflated, who won the Irish Gold Cup earlier this month, and Galvin were handed joint top weight of 11st10lb by British Horseracing Authority's jump handicappers' team leader Martin Greenwood. While stablemate and dual winner Tiger Roll was initially handed 11st4lb - his owner Michael O'Leary took him out after what he described as an "unfair weight".
READ MORE Last year's winner Lord Du Mesnil heads 16 entries for the Grand National Trial at Haydock
Cullentra House handler Elliott – who won the Grand National with Silver Birch (2007) and dual winner Tiger Roll (2018, 2019) – still has the most entries of any trainer this year with 18.
But Tiger Roll won't be one of them after Ryanair owner O'Leary said he would be taken out of the race.
Under his Gigginstown House Stud banner, he issued a statement criticising BHA chief handicapper Martin Greenwood, saying his rating of 161 for Tiger Roll as "absurd".
O'Leary's decision came just hours after the weights were revealed.
The statement read: "Tiger Roll is now 12 years old, He is clearly not as good as he was at eight or nine, and yet the UK handicapper now rates him 2lb higher than his 159 rating in April 2019, when he won both the Boyne Hurdle and the Aintree Grand National.
"This rating is absurd, and unfair on a 12-year-old chaser. It is a pity that the handicapper won't give Tiger Roll either a fair rating or a fair weight in the Aintree Grand National, where he could at least try to emulate Red Rum's three wins.
"However, the handicapper sets the weights and even if he is manifestly wrong in the case of Tiger Roll, there is nothing we can do about it other than remove him from the race, since we don't believe it is fair or safe to ask him to carry close to top weight at the age of 12.
"Since the top two horses in the handicap won't run in Aintree this year, Tiger Roll will have to carry either 11st 8lb or 11st 9lb at the age of 12, which is three years after he carried 11st 5lb at the age of nine to win the great race in April 2019.
"Since we are responsible for the welfare of Tiger Roll, we must protect him from the idiotic opinion of this handicapper. We therefore regret to announce that he will not run in the year's Aintree Grand National.
"Instead Tiger Roll will be trained for the cross country race in Cheltenham and there is every likelihood that win, lose or draw, this will be his last racecourse appearance.
"He will then return home for his well-earned retirement here in Gigginstown for the rest of his days.
"It's sadly clear from his ratings that this handicapper doesn't want Tiger Roll to run in this year's Grand National, he won't give him a fair chance and sadly the race will be poorer for his absence."
In his defence, handicapper Greenwood had earlier said: "I have relented a bit with Tiger Roll and he is down to 161 from 166 last year, which is 5lb lower.
"As I keep telling people, you can't just ignore his win in the cross country at Cheltenham last season which was less than 12 months ago when he easily defeated two good horses in Easysland and Some Neck.
"He and Minella Times - the two previous winners among the entries - are both on 161. Minella Times has run two stinkers this year, but it was only three starts ago that he was winning the Grand National."
Henry De Bromhead's eight-year-old Minella Times was partnered by Rachael Blackmore when scoring at Aintree last April – as the Tipperary-born rider became the first female jockey to win the world's greatest steeplechase.
Trainer De Bromhead himself became the first to send out the winners of the big three championship contests at the Cheltenham Festival – the Champion Hurdle (Honeysuckle), Queen Mother Champion Chase (Put The Kettle On) and Cheltenham Gold Cup (Minella Indo) – as well as the Grand National in the same season.
And now they will carry 11st4lb as they bid for a repeat at the famous Liverpool track on April 9.
READ MORE Trainers, jockeys and owners' reaction to Grand National weights
Trainer de Bromhead said: “He loves it around Aintree and certainly did last year, so hopefully he’ll come back to form now. He’s been a little bit off form recently but he looks like he’s coming back to form and hopefully he will by April.
“They certainly have to enjoy it to do well around Aintree and hopefully going back will help him find his form.”
De Bromhead also has Chris's Dream (11st5lb), Eklat De Rire (10st10lb), Poker Party (10st2lb) and Plan Of Attack (9st9lb) still entered.
The JP McManus-owned Minella Times, who has disappointed in two runs this season, falling and pulling up is a 25-1 chance with William Hill and bet365 for his bid for more Grand National glory.
Last year's third home – the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now, another of the 12 entries owned by dual National winner McManus – was handed 11st2lb and is generally the 16-1 market leader with most firms, alongside recent Grade One Savills Chase winner Galvin – from the Elliott stable who have won the Grand National three times.
Minella Times, Any Second Now and Galvin are among the massive 52 entries from Ireland. Irish-trained horses have won four of the last five runnings of the Aintree marathon and last year the Emerald Isle had the first five home.
As well as Tiger Roll and Galvin, Elliott could saddle Irish Grand National runner-up Run Wild Fred (11st2lb), the talented Samcro (10st9lb), last year's fifth home Farclas (10st9lb) and former Grade One winner Delta Work (11st3lb).
READ MORE: Unprecedented demand for Aintree and Cheltenham Festival tickets
Fourth home last year was Burrows Saint, who is one of eight entries for the Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins who won the Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005.
Burrows Saint is a 33-1 chance with William Hill and Unibet and has been handed 10st13lb this time.
The highest-placed British-trained runner last year was the Dan Skelton-trained Blaklion and he is currently 58th on the list of the entries and will carry 10st2lb is he lines up.
Now a 13-year-old, he won the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences when trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies in 2016, having also been fourth in the big one the April before.
Dual National hero Twiston-Davies – who is the only trainer to have won all five races run over the big Aintree fences – has Rowland Meyrick Chase scorer Good Boy Bobby, who is a best-priced 40-1, is his main entry and the nine-year-old was handed 10st7lb.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Cloth Cap, who was pulled up last April when sent off favourite, will carry 10st4lb this time. He will run in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings – who won the National three times before he died at the end of last year.
Among others who could head to Aintree are the O'Neill-trained Easysland (11st2lb) – a winner of the cross-country chase at Cheltenham in the past, recent Warwick Classic Chase victor Eclair Surf (10st), Irish Grand National scorer Freewheelin Dylan (10st4lb) and Scottish National winner Mighty Thunder (10st4lb).
Recent Becher Chase heroine Snow Leopardess, who is trained by Charlie Longsdon, has been handed 10st3lb for her bid to become the first mare to win the race since Nickel Coin in 1951.
Snow Leopardess, who landed a third win of the season at Exeter on Sunday, is a 20-1 chance with Paddy Power and BetVictor. She is 57th on the list of entries and still needs 17 horse to defect to be guaranteed a run. But based on past runnings she should make the line-up.
Trainer Longsdon said: “There is no doubt she loved those fences (when winning the Becher Chase). Her story with her being a mum is the sort of story I can see people really latching on to over the next couple months
“You only have to see on Twitter the number of people who are getting excited and getting involved. You look through all the people who message you and tweet you and it is amazing how many people do get in touch. It is all positive and we are all excited.”
The first two home in the Ladbrokes Trophy, Cloudy Glen – also owned by the Exors of the late Trevor Hemming – and Fiddlerontheroof, will carry 10st3lb and 10st12lb respectively and the Brian Ellison-trained Windsor Avenue, who landed the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last month, will carry 10st8lb.
Richard Hobson’s Lord Du Mesnil – who is owned by a syndicate which includes Mike and Mandy Smith from Wirral – is a three-time Haydock Park winner and has been handed 10st7lb for the National.
He was pulled up in last year's Grand National but will bid for a second successive victory in this Saturday's William Hill Grand National Trial at Haydock.
Leading trainer Nicky Henderson has never won the Grand National, but he has an intriguing entry in Chantry House, who gave owner McManus his 4,000th winner when landing the Grade Two Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham at the weekend.
He won over the Mildmay fences at last season's Grand National meeting, but is likely to be aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup before any potential Aintree bid. The eight-year-old was handed 11st3lb and is a 50-1 chance with Bet365 and Unibet.
A maximum 40 runners will go to post at Aintree on April 9 and currently Elliott's Braeside (10st5lb) is the 40th horse on the list of 104 entries.
Greenwood was handicapping the Grand National for the fourth time and speaking at the Rum Warehouse, he said: “There are 34 horses rated 150 or above and a good stock of horses rated in the 145-150 range, so this year’s race stands up well in terms of quality.
“Over the last 10 years, it has averaged out that you need to be around number 67 at the time of the weights lunch to line up in the race on the day. I would think you would be looking at horses rated in the 143 to 145 range who are likely to be the lowest-rated to get a run this year.
“I think Snow Leopardess should get a run and she will be a good runner for the race, being a mare and a grey. She is sure to be popular with the public.
“I have slightly tweaked the ratings of the top two horses in the handicap, Conflated and Galvin, by knocking them down 1lb along with Melon but I have not had to do much in that sense this time around. Chris’s Dream has been running mighty races when unseating on his two starts over the Grand National fences so I had to leave him roughly where he was.
“Minella Times is on 161. Minella Times has run two stinkers this year but it was only three starts ago that he was winning the Grand National.
“I think what is very interesting this year is that there are a large number of unexposed horses entered, such as Franco de Port and Longhouse Poet. There are other Irish-trained horses such as Assemble and Mount Ida who are unexposed over a staying distance while Fiddlerontheroof would be a good example British-trained horse falling into this category.
“Last year’s third placed horse, Any Second Now, is up to 159 from 152 and is of nine horses who still needs to qualify for this year’s race have not started in a chase yet this season.”
For information regarding tickets for the Cheltenham Festival visit thejockeyclub.co.uk/Cheltenham and for the Randox Grand National Festival visit thejockeyclub.co.uk/Aintree.
Full list of the weights for the 107 entries for the 2022 Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 4m2f74y at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, April 9 (5.15pm).
Total Prize Fund £1,000,000
HORSE AGE/WGT RATING OWNER TRAINER
1 Conflated (IRE) 8-11-10 167 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
2 Galvin (IRE) 8-11-10 167 Ronnie Bartlett Gordon Elliott IRE
3 Melon (GB) 10-11-06 163 Marie Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
4 Chris's Dream (IRE) 10-11-05 162 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
5 Franco de Port (FR) 7-11-04 161 Bruton Street V Willie Mullins IRE
6 Minella Times (IRE) 9-11-04 161 J P McManus Henry de Bromhead IRE
7 Tiger Roll (IRE) 12-11-04 161 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
8 Chantry House (IRE) 8-11-03 160 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
9 Delta Work (FR) 9-11-03 160 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
10 Any Second Now (IRE) 10-11-02 159 J P McManus Ted Walsh IRE
11 Easysland (FR) 8-11-02 159 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
12 Run Wild Fred (IRE) 8-11-02 158 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
13 Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9-11-00 157 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
14 Brahma Bull (IRE) 11-11 00 157 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
15 Lostintranslation (IRE) 10-11-00 157 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
16 Assemble (GB) 8-10-13 156 Gigginstown House Stud Joseph O'Brien IRE
17 Burrows Saint (FR) 9-10-13 156 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
18 Mount Ida (IRE) 8-10-13 156 KTDA Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
19 Fiddlerontheroof (IRE) 8-10-12 155 Taylor, Burley & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
20 Longhouse Poet (IRE) 8-10-12 155 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil
21 Two For Gold (IRE) 9-10-11 154 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership 2 Kim Bailey
22 Eklat de Rire (FR) 8-10-10 153 Mr P Davies Henry de Bromhead IRE
23 Santini (GB) 10-10-10 153 Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes Polly Gundry
24 Chatham Street Lad (IRE) 10-10-09 152 Mr V Healy Michael Winters IRE
25 Escaria Ten (FR) 8-10-09 152 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott IRE
26 Farclas (FR) 8-10-09 152 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
27 Off You Go (IRE) 9-10-09 152 J P McManus Charles Byrnes IRE
28 Ontheropes (IRE) 8-10-09 152 Cheveley Park Stud Willie Mullins IRE
29 Samcro (IRE) 10-10-09 152 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
30 Itchy Feet (FR) 8-10-08 151 Kate & Andrew Brooks Olly Murphy
31 Windsor Avenue (IRE) 10-10-08 151 Phil & Julie Martin Brian Ellison
32 Coko Beach (FR) 7-10-07 150 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
33 Good Boy Bobby (IRE) 9-10-07 150 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
34 Lord du Mesnil (FR) 9-10-07 150 Paul Porter & Mike & Mandy Smith Richard Hobson
35 Caribean Boy (FR) 8-10-06 149 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
36 Court Maid (IRE) 9-10-06 149 Rory Larkin Tom Mullins IRE
37 De Rasher Counter (GB) 10-10-06 149 Makin' Bacon Partnership Emma Lavelle
38 Sam Brown (GB) 10-10 06 149 T C Frost Anthony Honeyball
39 Anibale Fly (FR) 12-10-05 148 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE
40 Braeside (IRE) 8-10-05 148 KTDA Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
41 Dingo Dollar (IRE) 10-10-05 148 M Warren J Holmes R Kidner & J Wright Sandy Thomson
42 Discorama (FR) 9-10-05 148 Andrew Gemmell/Thomas Friel Paul Nolan IRE
43 Enjoy d'Allen (FR) 8-10-05 148 Railway View Stud Partnership Ciaran Murphy IRE
44 Highland Hunter (IRE) 9-10-05 148 Thomas Barr Paul Nicholls
45 Kildisart (IRE) 10-10-05 148 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Ben Pauling
46 Top Ville Ben (IRE) 10-10-05 148 Harbour Rose Partnership Philip Kirby
47 Class Conti (FR) 10-10-04 147 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede Willie Mullins IRE
48 Cloth Cap (IRE) 10-10-04 147 Exors of the late Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
49 El Presente (GB) 9-10-04 147 Davies Pilkington Yarborough Brooke Kim Bailey
50 Freewheelin Dylan (IRE) 10-10-04 147 Sheila Mangan Dermot McLoughlin IRE
51 Jett (IRE) 11-10-04 147 Robert Waley-Cohen Robert Waley-Cohen
52 Mighty Thunder (GB) 9-10-04 147 Allson Sparkle Ltd Lucinda Russell
53 Noble Yeats (IRE) 7-10-04 147 Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins IRE
54 Agusta Gold (IRE) 9-10-03 146 Dr S P Fitzgerald Willie Mullins IRE
55 Cloudy Glen (IRE) 9-10-03 146 Exors of the late Trevor Hemmings Venetia Williams
56 Phoenix Way (IRE) 9-10 03 146 J P McManus Harry Fry
57 Snow Leopardess (GB) 10-10-03 146 Andrew Fox-Pitt Charlie Longsdon
58 Blaklion (GB) 13-10-02 145 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton
59 Deise Aba (IRE) 9-10-02 145 Exors of the late Trevor Hemmings Philip Hobbs
60 Kalooki (GER) 8-10 02 145 Andrew Cohen Philip Hobbs
61 Milan Native (IRE) 9-10-02 145 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
62 Poker Party (FR) 10-10-02 145 Robcour Henry de Bromhead
63 Death Duty (IRE) 11-10-01 144 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
64 Domaine de L'Isle (FR) 9-10-01 144 12 Oaks Racing and Ian Hutchins Sean Curran
65 Go Another One (IRE) 10-10- 144 Caroline Ahearn John McConnell IRE
66 The Big Dog (IRE) 9-10-01 144 Damien Kelly/Colin Kelly Peter Fahey IRE
67 Eclair Surf (FR) 8-10-00 143 Dominic Burke & Tim Syder Emma Lavelle
68 Fortescue (GB) 8-10-00 143 T F F Nixon Henry Daly
69 Commodore (FR) 10-9 -13 142 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams
70 Romain de Senam (FR) 10-9 13 142 Judith Wilson David Pipe
71 School Boy Hours (IRE) 9-9-13 142 J P McManus Noel Meade IRE
72 Back On The Lash (GB) 8-9-12 141 M Boothright Martin Keighley
73 Elegant Escape (IRE) 10-9-11 140 John Romans Colin Tizzard
74 Full Back (FR) 7-9-11 140 Ashley Head Gary Moore
75 Mister Fogpatches (IRE) 8-9-11 140 J B Fahy Pat Fahy IRE
76 Roi Mage (FR) 10-9-11 140 Douglas Pryde Patrick Griffin IRE
77 Scoir Mear (IRE) 12-9-11 140 J P McManus Tom Mullins IR3
78 Smoking Gun (IRE) 9-9-11 140 Barnard, Courtney, Madden, Gin & GGee's Gordon Elliott IRE
79 Uisce Beatha (IRE) 9-9-11 140 The Has Been's Sophie Leech
80 Kauto Riko (FR) 11-9-10 139 Mr and Mrs J. Dale and Partners Tom Gretton
81 Mac Tottie (GB) 9-9-10 139 Steve & Jackie Fleetham Peter Bowen
82 Discordantly (IRE) 8-9-09 138 The Odd Fellows Partnership Jessica Harrington IRE
83 Hill Sixteen (GB) 9-9-09 138 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
84 Kapcorse (FR) 9-9-09 138 J P McManus Paul Nicholls
85 Plan of Attack (IRE) 9-9-09 138 A Halsall Henry de Bromhead IRE
86 Potters Corner (IRE) 12-9-09 138 All Stars Sports, Davies & Racehorse Club Christian Williams
87 Secret Reprieve (IRE) 8-9-09 138 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams
88 Defi Bleu (FR) 9-9-08 137 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
89 Definite Plan (IRE) 10-9-08 137 James Reilly Gordon Elliott IRE
90 Mister Whitaker (IRE) 10-9-08 137 Tim Leslie Donald McCain
91 Mortal (IRE) 10-9-08 137 Mr A. Dunlop Gordon Elliott IR
92 Robin des Foret (IRE) 12-9-08 137 The 119 Partnership John McConnell IRE
93 Achille (FR) 12-9-06 135 Vida Bingham Venetia Williams
94 Eurobot (GB) 8-9-06 135 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
95 Larry (GB) 9-9-06 135 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership Gary Moore
96 Pink Eyed Pedro (GB) 11-9-06 135 David Brace David Brace
97 The Two Amigos (GB) 10-9-05 134 Bradley Partnership Nicky Martin
98 The Hollow Ginge (IRE) 9-9-03 132 The Ginge Army Nigel Twiston-Davies
99 Alpha des Obeaux (FR) 12-9-01 130 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
100 Didero Vallis (FR) 9-9-01 130 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams
101 Gwencily Berbas (FR) 11-9-01 130 Aidan Ryan David Pipe
102 Jerrysback (IRE) 10-9-01 130 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
103 Stones And Roses (IRE) 8-9-01 130 P Reilly/C Reilly Willie Mullins IRE
104 Via Dolorosa (FR)10-8-10 125 Judith Wilson David Pipe
SCRATCHED SINCE ENTRIES WERE MADE: Brace Yourself (IRE), Double Shuffle (IRE). NOT QUALIFIED: Time To Get Up (IRE) – horses must have run in at least six chases and he has only run in five
104 entries remain (52 Irish-trained)
