Last year's winner Minella Times will now carry top weight after stablemate Chris's Dream was taken out of this Saturday's 2022 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse as 73 entries remain.
While the new 8-1 favourite – recent Cheltenham winner Delta Work – and 9-1 chances, last year's third Any Second Now and the well-backed British hope Snow Leopardess are also on course for Aintree.
At the latest five-day declaration stage Henry De Bromhead's 2021 hero remained among the entries with the nine-year-old a best-priced 16-1 with most bookmakers. But Minella Times will now carry top weight of 11st10lb – 15lb higher in the handicap than last year – as he bids to become the ninth dual winner of the world's greatest steeplechase having helped Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the race 12 months ago.
READ MORE: Chris Wright's top 10 contenders for Grand National glory
Stable-mate Chris's Dream – who unseated rider Darragh O'Keeffe in last year's race – had been the top weight at 11st10lb but with his defection the weights for this Saturday's Aintree showpiece have now risen by another 1lb. There was just five horses taken out of the race including, as expected, the injured Highland Hunter from the Paul Nicholls' stable and the Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad. The John McConnell-trained Go Another One, who would have been 42nd on the list, and Kauto Riko were the other horses scratched today.
With those defections last year's sixth, Dan Skelton's veteran Blaklion, and De Bromhead's Poker Party are guaranteed a run at 39th and 40th on the list.
Partly due to her back story, Charlie Longsdon's mare Snow Leopardess has been well-backed and is now just 9-1 with most bookmakers and as low as 7-1, alongside Ted Walsh's recent Bobbyjo Chase winner Any Second Now, with Skybet.
Longsdon's 10-year-old appears set to be the 'once-a-year punters' pick' as she is the only mother in the race – and the first in more than a century – having had a foal to 2006 Derby winner Sir Percy in 2020.
She also has some compelling form having won the Becher Chase over the big Aintree obstacles in December, the second of three straight victories this season. Snow Leopardess also has a low weight of just 10st9lb to carry.
READ MORE: Snow Leopardess on course for Grand National bid
She is one of only three UK-based entries among the first dozen in the betting, with the markets dominated by Irish-trained horses.
Irish trainers saddled the first five home last year and have won four of the past five runnings.
Cullentra House handler Gordon Elliott – who won the National with Silver Birch (2007) and dual winner Tiger Roll (2018, 2019) – still has eight entries among the current top 40 and several are near the head of the betting.
Elliott's Delta Work – who beat dual National hero Tiger Roll on his final career start in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival – is among those entries. The nine-year-old, who will now carry 11st9lb, has been backed into outright favourite with some firms at 8-1.
Stable-mate Escaria Ten, who was narrowly beaten by Any Second Now in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, is a best-priced 12-1 with William Hill.
READ MORE: Get a copy of the ECHO's Grand National Special
Run Wild Fred, runner-up to fellow National entrant Freewheelin Dylan (66-1, William Hill) in the Irish Grand National last April, and last year's Grand National fifth home Farclas are also among Elliott's entrants and both are priced at 25-1 with some firms.
Ciaran Murphy's Enjoy D'allen is another Irish challenger near the head of the betting and is a best-priced 14-1 with William Hill. The eight-year-old, who was third in the Irish National at Fairyhouse last year, will carry the JP McManus colours having recently been bought by the powerful owner.
Fourth home last year was Burrows Saint and the Rich Ricci-owned nine-year-old is one of four entries for Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins who won the Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005.
Burrows Saint is a 20-1 chance with William Hill and Skybet and was third behind Any Second Now in the Bobbyjo Chase on his most recent start.
Mullins could also see Brahma Bull, Class Conti and Augusta Gold line up at Aintree at the weekend.
Minella Times is now one of three entries from the De Bromhead stable. His other entries are the aforementioned Poker Party and Court Maid, who has recently switched to De Bromhead's Knockeen stables from Thomas Mullins.
Irish-trained horses make up 35 of the remaining 73 entries.
Harry Fry's Phoenix Way is one of six horses in the top 40 who are owned by McManus, who won a second Grand National with Minella Times 12 months ago. He is a best-priced 80-1 with William Hill.
Other British entries near the head of the betting are Emma Lavelle's Eclair Surf, who won the Warwick Classic Chase and was second subsquent Scottish Grand National winner Win My Wings in the Eider Chase, is 14-1 with most bookmakers. But he is not guaranteed a run yet as he is currently 43rd on the list and if there are no further defections before Thursday would only have the chance to be one of the four reserves.
Colin Tizzard's Fiddlerontheroof – second to Cloudy Glen in the Ladbrokes Trophy back in November – is a 16-1 chance with Paddy Power and Betfair.
Last year's favourite Cloth Cap and the Philip Hobbs-trained Deisa Aba, who is now guaranteed a run at 38th on the list, could both carry the colours of the late triple Grand National-winning owner Trevor Hemmings.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Cloth Cap is a 25-1 chance and will carry 10st9lb; while Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Good Boy Bobby – from the stable of dual Grand National winner Nigel Twiston-Davies – is a 40-1 chance.
The final maximum 40-strong field with be revealed on Thursday with four reserves named in order.
If any of the top 40 entries are declared a non-runner before 1pm on Friday – the day before the big race – a reserve will replace them.
Elliott's Death Duty is officially 41st on the list with Domaine De L'Isle in 42nd although they share the same weight. The same is the case for Eclair Surf (43rd) and Fortescue (44th), so a ballot may be needed to see who are first, second, third and fourth reserve.
Full list of the 73 remaining 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 Minella Times (IRE) 9-11-10 161 JP McManus Henry de Bromhead IRE
2 Delta Work (FR) 9-11-09 160 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
3 Easysland (FR) 8-11-08 159 JP McManus Jonjo O'Neill
4 Any Second Now (IRE) 10-11-08 159 JP McManus Ted Walsh IRE
5 Run Wild Fred (IRE) 8-11-08 158 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
6 Lostintranslation (IRE) 10-11-06 157 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
7 Brahma Bull (IRE) 11-11-06 157 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
8 Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9-11-06 157 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
9 Burrows Saint (FR) 9-11-05 156 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
10 Mount Ida (IRE) 8-11-05 156 KTDA Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
11 Longhouse Poet (IRE) 8-11-04 155 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil IRE
12 Fiddlerontheroof (IRE) 8-11-04 155 Taylor, Burley & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
13 Two For Gold (IRE) 9-11-03 154 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership 2 Kim Bailey
14 Santini (GB) 10-11-02 153 Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes Polly Gundry
15 Samcro (IRE) 10-11-01 152 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
16 Farclas (FR) 8-11-01 152 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
17 Escaria Ten (FR) 8-11-01 152 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott IRE
18 Good Boy Bobby (IRE) 9-10-13 150 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
19 Lord du Mesnil (FR) 9-10-13 150 Paul Porter & Mike & Mandy Smith Richard Hobson
20 Coko Beach (FR) 7-10-13 150 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
21 De Rasher Counter (GB) 10-10-12 149 Makin' Bacon Partnership Emma Lavelle
22 Caribean Boy (FR) 8-10-12 149 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
23 Court Maid (IRE) 9-10-12 149 Rory Larkin Henry De Bromhead IRE
24 Kildisart (IRE) 10-10-11 148 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Ben Pauling
25 Discorama (FR) 9-10-11 148 Andrew Gemmell/Thomas Friel Paul Nolan IRE
26 Top Ville Ben (IRE) 10-10-11 148 Harbour Rose Partnership Philip Kirby
27 Enjoy d'Allen (FR) 8-10-11 148 Railway View Stud Partnership Ciaran Murphy IRE
28 Anibale Fly (FR) 12-10-11 148 JP McManus Tony Martin IRE
29 Dingo Dollar (IRE) 10-10-11 148 M Warren J Holmes R Kidner & J Wright Sandy Thomson
30 Freewheelin Dylan (IRE) 10-10-10 147 Sheila Mangan Dermot McLoughlin IRE
31 Class Conti (FR) 10-10-10 147 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede Willie Mullins IRE
32 Noble Yeats (IRE) 7-10-10 147 Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins IRE
33 Mighty Thunder (GB) 9-10-10 147 Allson Sparkle Ltd Lucinda Russell
34 Cloth Cap (IRE) 10-10-10 147 Exors of the late Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
35 Snow Leopardess (GB) 10-10-09 146 Andrew Fox-Pitt Charlie Longsdon
36 Agusta Gold (IRE) 9-10-09 146 Dr SP Fitzgerald Willie Mullins IRE
37 Phoenix Way (IRE) 9-10-09 146 JP McManus Harry Fry
38 Deise Aba (IRE) 9-10-08 145 Exors of the late Trevor Hemmings Philip Hobbs
39 Blaklion (GB) 13-10-08 145 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton
40 Poker Party (FR) 10-10-08 145 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
41 Death Duty (IRE) 11-10-07 144 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
42 Domaine de L'Isle (FR) 9-10-07 144 12 Oaks Racing and Ian Hutchins Sean Curran
43 Eclair Surf (FR) 8-10-06 143 Dominic Burke & Tim Syder Emma Lavelle
44 Fortescue (GB) 8-10-06 143 TFF Nixon Henry Daly
45 Commodore (FR) 10-10-05 142 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams
46 School Boy Hours (IRE) 9-10-05 142 JP McManus Noel Meade IRE
47 Romain de Senam (FR) 10-10-05 142 Judith Wilson David Pipe
48 Roi Mage (FR) 10-10-03 140 Douglas Pryde Patrick Griffin IRE
49 Full Back (FR) 7-10-03 140 Ashley Head Gary Moore
50 Smoking Gun (IRE) 9-10-03 140 Barnard, Courtney, Madden, Gin & GGee's Gordon Elliott IRE
51 Scoir Mear (IRE) 12-10-03 140 JP McManus Tom Mullins IR3
52 Mac Tottie (GB) 9-10-03 139 Steve & Jackie Fleetham Peter Bowen
53 Hill Sixteen (GB) 9-10-01 138 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
54 Discordantly (IRE) 8-10-01 138 The Odd Fellows Partnership Jessica Harrington IRE
55 Plan of Attack (IRE) 9-10-01 138 A Halsall Henry de Bromhead IRE
56 Secret Reprieve (IRE) 8-10-01 138 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams
57 Potters Corner (IRE) 12-10-01 138 All Stars Sports, Davies & Racehorse Club Christian Williams
58 Robin des Foret (IRE) 12-10-00 137 The 119 Partnership John McConnell IRE
59 Mortal (IRE) 10-10-00 137 Mr A Dunlop Gordon Elliott IRE
60 Defi Bleu (FR) 9-10-00 137 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
61 Definite Plan (IRE) 10-10-00 137 James Reilly Gordon Elliott IRE
62 Mister Whitaker (IRE) 10-10-00 137 Tim Leslie Donald McCain
63 Pink Eyed Pedro (GB) 11-9-12 135 David Brace David Brace
64 Larry (GB) 9-9-12 135 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership Gary Moore
65 Achille (FR) 12-9-12 135 Vida Bingham Venetia Williams
66 The Two Amigos (GB) 10-9-11 134 Bradley Partnership Nicky Martin
67 The Hollow Ginge (IRE) 9-9-09 132 The Ginge Army Nigel Twiston-Davies
68 Didero Vallis (FR) 9-9-07 130 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams
69 Stones And Roses (IRE) 8-9-07 130 P Reilly/C Reilly Willie Mullins IRE
70 Gwencily Berbas (FR) 11-9-07 130 Aidan Ryan David Pipe
71 Jerrysback (IRE) 10-9-07 130 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
72 Alpha des Obeaux (FR) 12-9-07 130 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
73 Via Dolorosa (FR) 10-9-02 125 Judith Wilson David Pipe
SCRATCHED HORSES: Chris's Dream, Chatham Street Lad, Highland Hunter, Go Another One, Kauto Riko
73 entries remain (35 Irish-trained)
The Liverpool ECHO's 2022 Grand National Special, priced at just £2, is on sale now in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents. The 40-page special is packed with interviews, features and all you need for this week's Grand National Festival. You can also order a copy now from our online shop, just click here
For information regarding any tickets remaining for the Randox Grand National Festival visit thejockeyclub.co.uk/Aintree.
