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 recent dual winner Tiger Roll was initially handed 11st4lb owners Gigginstown House Stud issued a statement saying he wouldn't be running due to the 'unfair weight' he would have to carry.
But here is a selection of what some of the trainers felt about the weights for their Aintree hopefuls.
READ MORE Conflated and Galvin head handicap on 11st10lb plus full list of weights for Aintree showpiece
Trainer Ted Walsh - Any Second Now (11st2lb)
"I knew he was going to get a few pounds more as he was third in the National last year. He was a bit unlucky then - whether he'd have beaten the winner I'm not sure, but he'd definitely have been closer.
"Of course I'd always be happier with less weight and I'd be happier with less than 11 stone but it is what it is. The only problem is if the top weights don't run and we end up around 11st6lb or 11st7lb - that would be tough.
"He might run at the weekend in the Red Mills (Chase) at Gowran Park. Either that or we'll go to Naas or Fairyhouse after that.
"He's up there with Papillon (Grand National winner in 2000) and Seabass (third in 2012) for ability, you'd think. They had nice weights in the race and they both ran well and he's that type of horse.
"A win would be the main thing for me - when you get to my age you don't get too many more chances to win it again! I'd like to win it again, I must say. It was great to win it once and it would be marvellous to win it twice."
Trainer Gordon Elliott - Conflated (11st10lb), Galvin (11st10lb), Tiger Roll (11st4lb), Delta Work (11st3lb), Run Wild Fred (11st1lb), Battleoverdoyen (11st), Mount Ida (10st13lb), Escaria Ten (10st9lb), Farclas (10st9lb), Samcro (10st9lb), Coko Beach (10st7lb), Braeside (10st5lb), Milan Native (10st2lb), Death Duty (10st1lb), Smoking Gun (9st11lb), Defi Bleu (9st8lb), Definite Plan (9st8lb), Mortal (9st8lb), Alpha Des Obeaux (9st1lb)
"It looks like it might be one of my best hands in the Grand National as we look to have a lot of great chances. You would have to be looking forward to the likes of Mount Ida, Run Wild Fred and Death Duty, who is a dual Grade One winner that at the moment is off 10st1lb, which looks a lovely weight. Hopefully he creeps in to the race.
"Conflated will be going to Cheltenham, while the aim is the Gold Cup with Galvin and he would only run in the National if anything happened in the Gold Cup.
"Delta Work is definitely a possibility for the Grand National. He might not quite be up to Gold Cup class anymore. We were half-thinking about the Grand National and it looks like he has got a nice weight there. I think he could easily take to these fences.
"Samcro has had a lot of problems with his sinuses, but we have them sorted again and the plan is to go straight to the Grand National. He is a very good horse on his day and we are just hoping these fences might light him up."
Trainer Willie Mullins - Melon (11st6lb), Franco de Port (11st4lb), Brahma Bull (11st), Burrows Saint (10st13lb), Ontheropes (10st9lb), Class Conti (10st4lb), Agusta Gold (10st3lb), Stones And Roses (9st1lb)
"Melon has been second four times at the Cheltenham Festival. He hasn't ever run at Aintree (over fences) and it could be a track that might suit him. We decided to give him an entry and see where he is.
"He would be an interesting runner there. He is at an age now where he is finding it hard to win at the top level. We felt this was a bit of a last roll of dice to see if Aintree lit his fire.
"Franco De Port is a horse that has plenty of stamina in his pedigree. If he likes Aintree it is the place he could go back over the next few years being that he is only seven.
"Brahma Bull is a proper handicapper that has been placed in plenty of top staying handicap chases. He is a horse that the heavy winter ground probably doesn't suit - he really improves in the spring.
"Burrows Saint looked very good for most of the race last year (finished fourth). He just ran out of petrol a bit going to the last.
"However, he is more mature this year and he is certainly one a lot of jockeys would like to ride. He is definitely a horse with a chance off that weight."
Trainer Polly Gundry - Santini (10st10lb)
"That (weight) is quite encouraging. We're going to go to the Gold Cup so it would have to be if something goes wrong.
"If we had a really good run in the Gold Cup then I'm not sure we'd go that way anyway, but if something went wrong we might go for the National. It's slightly immaterial at the moment but on the other hand, that is not going to put his owner, Richard Kelvin-Hughes, off.
"We've been saying that if he got 11st then that would be amazing, so 10st 10lb is even more amazing. I'm sure that will tickle Richard's interest."
Trainer Nicky Henderson - Chantry House (11st3lb), Caribean Boy (10st6lb)
"I've yet to win any National - English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh! We won't mention the American National as I can't count that!
"Of course you want to win it - more than anything - and it would be very sad to have to go to bed without one. We've been very lucky over the years and most things have fallen our way but this doesn't seem to want to.
"There's every chance that Chantry House will be right at the top at the weights, but I'd say it's a million to one that he runs, personally. At the moment he's going to the Cheltenham Gold Cup (at the Cheltenham Festival ) and he's not going to do both - it would be an almighty ask.
"Caribean Boy is guaranteed a run, so that's all that matters. It was a really good run at Kempton last month and the plan is to go back there in a fortnight's time.
"He will be one of the more likely horses I've had for the Grand National for a long time."
Rachael Blackmore - rider of Minella Times (11st4lb)
Last year's historic first female winner was back in Liverpool and could feel the excitement building ahead of this year's race.
She said: "I suppose it starts building now, the excitement for the race. It's just a fantastic race to be part of.
"After the race you could really feel the global appeal that it has. Cheltenham was incredible and there was so much support and media attention after that, but after Aintree it stepped up again.
"The Grand National seems to reach parts of the world that no other race does.
"It's a massive event for Liverpool. I was getting my make-up done by a make-up artist from Liverpool earlier and she said she wouldn't have much of an interest in racing, but since she was a kid it was such a massive day for her and her friends.
"It's that kind of a race. It's the first race that captures the imagination of every child, I think. When you grow up and you're galloping round a field on your pony, it's the race you think of."
On Minella Times, she added: "He's been a little bit disappointing (this season), but Henry will get him there in tip-top shape, I've no doubt," said Blackmore.
"He's in very capable hands. He's a lot higher in the weights, but that's just the way it is."
Asked whether she could switch from last year's winner to one of de Bromhead's other runners, she said: "I highly doubt it!"
Henry de Bromhead - Chris's Dream (11st5lb), Minella Times (11st4lb), Eklat De Rire (10st 10lb), Poker Party (10st 2lb), Plan of Attack (9st9lb)
“I’m surprised he’s (Minella Times) that. I didn’t think he went up as much as that after he won and going on his form this year I’m surprised he got increased.
“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 then.
“They certainly have to enjoy it to do well around there and hopefully going back will help him find his form.”
“He’s (Chris's Dream) a couple of pounds less than last year and he looked to be going well when unseating at Valentine’s, so we’re happy with that and it seems fair enough.
“He seems good after Gowran. He’s normally a brilliant jumper and hopefully he’ll be back on song there at Aintree.”
Of his other potential runners, de Bromhead added: “Poker Party (10st2lb) seems to be coming back to form after being out for a long time through injury. He’s in good form now and hopefully he’ll sneak in there and if he does he’ll have a nice racing weight.
“I’d say Eklat De Rire (10st10lb) is unlikely to run in the Grand National this year, while Plan Of Attack (9st9lb) is unlikely to get in, you’d think. The main aim for him is the Cross Country race - he really enjoys those fences.”
Mick Meagher, racing manager for the late Trevor Hemmings - Cloth Cap (10st4lb), Cloudy Glen (10st3lb), Deise Aba (10st2lb)
"The horses Trevor had were all there for the purpose of running in the Grand National and if they look like they might be suitable for the job, why wouldn't you honour his wishes?
"He was very proud of his three winners and his horses were his pride and joy, so it meant the world to him. It's one of the most famous races in the world and he typified that.
"He would have been chuffed to pieces with Cloudy Glen winning the Ladbrokes Trophy. Cloudy Glen is a homebred, which makes him a little bit more special.
"He's 6lb higher than when he won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury, so we can't complain at that, though he needs to come back in form a bit as his runs since have been a bit disappointing. He'll likely run in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.
"Cloth Cap is probably where we should be really. We won the Ladbrokes Trophy (in 2020) off a mark of 136, so we've got the 11lb for winning that race by 10 lengths. In theory you'd have to be happy because if he came back to that kind of form, he'd have to have a great chance. Ground is important with him - he doesn't want soft ground.
"You'd think Deise Aba will get in and he'll go straight to Aintree. He's one of those horses that's got loads of ability but doesn't always show it.
"He's just one of those horses who might take to the place and if he does he'll run a big race."
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Joe Tizzard, assistant trainer - Lostintranslation (11st), Fiddlerontheroof (10st12lb), Elegant Escape (9st11lb)
"Lostintranslation will run in the Ascot Chase this weekend. For a horse that has finished third in the Gold Cup and won on his comeback run this season he has dropped to 157.
"We had a bad season last season with him but I think that is a mark he is capable off of. He has always been a good jumper. We will see if his National mark tempts the owners. I imagine he will go to Cheltenham first, but if he comes out of that really well I imagine he will take his chance.
"This is not a joke entry - it is a proper entry. He is a lovely jumper and that is one thing that plays to his strengths. If we got a bit of good ground he would be well within his capability to travel and jump around there. Let's not forget he was rated a stone higher at one point and if he got back to somewhere near his best then he could be involved.
"This has been the plan for Fiddlerontheroof since the Ladbrokes Trophy where he had a hard enough race. It was going to be too soon to go for a King George, then we talked about it and we thought he could have a live chance in a Grand National.
"We waited until the weights came out before we decided to run him again. We will run him at Ascot on Saturday in the three mile-handicap chase.
"I'm sure off 155 he would be competitive and he is a lovely jumper."
Charlie Longsdon - Snow Leopardess (10st3lb)
“You certainly hope to get in being number 57 on the list as it is normally about 70-odd that gets in.
“We’ve got to keep our fingers crossed but it is all very exciting. Running off 10st3lbs would be some weight but it won’t be that unfortunately. She will still be under 11st though so it will still be a nice light weight.
“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. I can see people over the next couple of months talking about the Grand National runner with a child.
“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.”
Snow Leopardess won her third race of the season at Exeter on Sunday, following her Becher Chase success over the National fences in December.
Longsdon added: “She has come out of her race at Exeter fine and has been out in the field yesterday so everything is all good. It is going to be a nerve-wracking couple of months.
“It was horrible conditions at Exeter and real hard work. She probably had a harder race than we wanted to but the conditions made that happen. We can sit back now though and prepare her for the Grand National.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies - Good Boy Bobby (10st7lb)
“That weight sounds absolutely ideal. We didn’t really have a Grand National campaign on our mind as he had been a bit disappointing last season but he has really come back to himself this season.
"When he romped home last time at Wetherby is when we started to think about the Grand National. We were always hopeful that he would hold on at Wetherby despite plenty of others appearing to be going well around him.
“You only have to look at his form to see he was good from the start. He was brilliant in his bumpers and novice hurdles. He has always been good.
“The National fences aren’t quite the same as they used to be so I can’t see him having any problems over them and he is bred for the trip.”
Lucinda Russell - Mighty Thunder (10st4lb)
“It would be great if he actually went round in the Grand National with 10st4lbs and he’s in great form.
“Although he hasn’t actually got much racecourse form since the autumn, we’re hoping to get to Aintree in the best possible position.
“We definitely learned that he’s going to stay the distance at Ayr, we were actually hoping to go the Becher Chase to try the fences, but he can’t go on soft or heavy ground so we didn’t run that day.
“We did go to the Welsh National but it was similar ground there and he struggled but Derek (Fox) has ridden him and said he definitely had the feel of a horse who will go well around the Aintree fences. Provided it’s not heavy ground on the day, I think he’s got a great chance.”
Martin Greenwood, British Horseracing Authority’s jump handicappers’ team leader
“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.
“I have relented a bit with Tiger Roll and he is down to 161 from 166 last year, which is 5lbs 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.
READ MORE: Unprecedented demand for Aintree and Cheltenham Festival tickets
“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.
