Last year's winner Lord Du Mesnil is among the 16 entries left in for this Saturday's William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Haydock Park.
Richard Hobson’s Lord Du Mesnil – who is owned by a syndicate which includes Mike and Mandy Smith from Wirral – is a three-time winner at the Merseyside track. And he is looking to continue that love affair with Haydock in Saturday's extended 3m4f Grade Three feature of the seven-race card.
Lord Du Mesnil is also among the current 107 entered in the Randox Grand National itself, for which the weights will be revealed tomorrow at the traditional lunch – this year being held at the Rum Warehouse in the Titanic Hotel.
READ MORE: Minella Times heads 107 entries for Aintree showpiece
Now an nine-year-old, Lord Du Mesnil was pulled up in last year's Grand National but is a 12-1 chance with bet365 in his bid to become the first horse to land the Haydock Trial in successive years since Silver By Nature in 2010 and 2011.
Lord Du Mesnil will carry 11st3lb this time with another Haydock specialist Bristol De Mai currently topping the weights on 11st12lb.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' 11-year-old grey is a three-time winner of the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock and he also has two Grade Two victories at the track.
He was pulled up in his bid for a record-equalling fourth success in the Betfair behind Cheltenham Festival-bound A Plus Tard in November. But Bristol De Mai was a close-up third to another Grand National entrant Two For Gold at Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield last month.
Bristol De Mai, who was also pulled up in the Aintree showpiece last April, is not entered in this year's renewal.
The current favourite for Saturday's Grand National Trial is last season's Welsh Grand National winner Secret Reprieve – for Welsh trainer and Everton FC fan Evan Williams.
The eight-year-old missed the cut for the Aintree showpiece last year but connections could use Saturday's Trial as a stepping stone to the world's greatest steeplechase on April 9.
Secret Reprieve is a general 4-1 for Saturday's Haydock contest and a 25-1 chance with Paddy Power, Betfair and Unibet for the Grand National.
Nine of the 16 entries are also entered in the Grand National as well.
And one of those who is double entered is the Sam Brown.
Anthony Honeyball's 10-year-old – a previous course winner – was a fine second to Royale Pagaille in the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last month.
He is a best-priced 8-1 for the Trial with Coral.
Another course winner, Dr Richard Newland's Enqarde, is also 8-1 with William Hill and bet365.
Others among the entries who could also run in the Grand National are Venetia Williams' Commodore – a winner at Cheltenham last time; the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Time To Get Up, who landed the Midlands Grand National last season; and Fortescue from the Henry Daly stable.
Also on the seven-race card at Haydock is the Grade Two William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle which currently has nine entries with Bristol De Mai also among them.
Other entries include the Dan Skelton-trained Molly Ollys Wishes – a winner of two of her three starts this season; 2020 Rendlesham Hurdle hero Emitom, from the Warren Greatrex stable; Philip Kirby's Grand National entrant Top Ville Ben; and Third Wind, who is another former winner of the race, having scored 12 months ago.
Mollys Ollys Wishes is the 5-2 second favourite with William Hill behind the Olly Murphy-trained 2-1 market leader Thomas Darby.
The nine-year-old won the Grade Two Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November. And he was fourth behind Champ at Ascot on his most recent run just before Christmas.
There are currently nine entered for the William Hill Super Odds Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle including the Paul Nicholls-trained Iceo and Gary Moore's Porticello.
Haydock's Grand National Trial day features seven races with the opener, the William Hill Cheltenham Non Runner Money Back Novices Limited Handicap Chase, due off at 1pm. The finale, the Pertemps Network Walrus Open Hunters' Chase, is at 4.25pm. Gates open at 11am and general admission tickets start at £20.
For tickets and more information on Haydock's Grand National Trial day go to https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/haydock/events-tickets/grand-national-trial/
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 16 entries for the 2022 Unibet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (Grade 3) at Haydock Park this Saturday (2.40pm)
1. Bristol De Mai (FR) 11-11-12 Simon Munir & Isaac Soude (owner), Nigel Twiston-Davies (trainer)
2. Lord du Mesnil (FR) 9-11-03 Mr Paul Porter & Mike & Mandy Smith, Richard Hobson
3. Sam Brown 10-11-02 Mr TC Frost, Anthony Honeyball
4. Kalooki (GER) 8-10-12 Mr Andrew L Cohen, Philip Hobbs
5. Blaklion 13-10-12 Darren & Annaley Yates, Dan Skelton
6. Time To Get Up (IRE) 9-10-11 Mr John P McManus, Jonjo O'Neill
7. Fortescue 8-10-10 Mr TFF Nixon, Henry Daly
8. Commodore (FR) 10-10-09 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham, Venetia Williams
9. Full Back (FR) 7-10-07 Mr Ashley Head, Gary Moore
10. The Galloping Bear 9-10-07 Adrian Paterson, Ben Clarke
11. Secret Reprieve (IRE) 8-10-05 Mr & Mrs William Rucker, Evan Williams
12. Enqarde 8-10-04 Off The Clock Parners & Dr Richard Newland, Dr Richard Newland
13. Mint Condition 8-10-04 Whites Property Limited, Jennie Candlihs
14. Achille 12-10-02 Mrs Vida Bingham, Venetia Williams
15. Sidi Ismail 8-10-02 The Show Is Over Syndicate, David Pipe
16. Gwencily Berbas (FR) 11-9-11 Mr Aidan J Ryan, David Pipe
