Randox Grand National weights: What the trainers say

Gordon Elliott Conflated, Galvin, Fury Road, Delta Work, Coko Beach, Pencilfulloflead, Escaria Ten, Farclas, Asht Tree Meadow, Battleoverdoyen, Death Duty, Dunboyne:

“Conflated has won two Grade One chases at Leopardstown including last year’s Irish Gold Cup and we knew he would be close to top weight or have top weight. He will go to Cheltenham first for the Gold Cup and we will see from there whether he will be one for the Grand National this season or next season. He would be a very classy horse to have in the race. I could see him being a horse for the National but it might be a year too early to run him in the race.”

“Galvin started off the season very well winning a Grade Three at Punchestown but his form has just tapered off a bit. He has just had a little procedure done on his back and he is back working well.

“The plan is to run him in the Cross Country race at Cheltenham then on the National. We sort of thought last season that he could be one for the National as we thought he was probably just lacking a gear for races like the Gold Cup and those sort of Grade One races.

“He seems in good form and we are looking forward to running him in the National. I think he will be fine over the fences.”

“Fury Road will probably be a doubtful runner I would say at the moment. We will probably just go for the Ryanair and see after that.

“If I was a betting man, I’d say he might not go for it this season but we will keep all options open. He would definitely have a nice weight for the race and he ran well at Leopardstown the last day.”

“This has been the plan all season for Delta Work. He has a nice weight for the race and I’m happy with that. We just switched him back to hurdles on his last start to sharpen him up a bit as he had gone a little bit rusty. It was a race we had run Tiger Roll in before he went to Cheltenham and then on to Aintree.

“I thought he ran very well in the National last season behind Noble Yeats. He got a little bit far back early on and he had lots to do. Having had that experience over the fences we go back there with plenty of confidence and we are looking forward to it.”

“It was a great run to win the Grand National trial at Punchestown on Sunday with Coko Beach. He jumps great and he enjoyed the ground. He will definitely run in the race. I thought it was a good run in the race last year when he finished eighth and he is another we are looking forward to taking back over again.”

“Pencilfulloflead is a good horse and has a lovely weight on his back. He ran very well in the Thyestes the last day. He is good now, but we just had a few issues with him early on.

“He is sound now and is in good form. He is on the right side of the 11 stone mark and he is exactly in the sort of place where we want to be in the race. He should enjoy a test like this.”

“Escaria Ten just didn’t get home in the race last year. Whether we run him or not I don’t know but we made a speculative entry to have a look at it.

“He is not a definite runner and we will have a chat with the owners to see how we are. He was well thought of for the race last season and he travelled well for a long way but he simply didn’t get home from the second last. He has a nice weight on his back with 10st 10lbs so we won’t rule anything out.”

“Farclas ran well in the race in 2021 when he finished fifth. The plan was to go there again last year but he got a little setback. He has a lovely weight on his back and all being well he will go back there this year.”

“Ash Tree Meadow probably won’t run in it this year and instead head for the Irish Grand National. He does run well fresh. He is still a novice over fences though and I would say it is more than likely we will see him in the race in 12 months’ time.”

“We will have a roll of the dice in the race with Battleoverdoyen. He has been a great horse for the yard over the years and he always gives his all and the plan is to go to the National. He was a Grade One horse back in the day. He jumps very well so he should give a good account of himself.”

“Death Duty ran a great race in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday. For him the race would suit him if he got in off a low weight. He still shows plenty of life at home.”

“Dunboyne put up a great run in the Thyestes and he was only beaten a head. Hopefully he might sneak in. I think the National is a race that is made for him. He could be one that could creep into the places if he is fortunate enough to get in the race.”

Patrick Mullins:

Capodanno (11st 5lbs)

“That is definitely a very workable weight. His form at Punchestown, when he beat Lifetime Ambition and Fury Road, in the Grade One looks very good. The fact that he had a little setback at the start of the season and hasn’t got to improve his rating might work for him. I think that is a mark he could be competitive off.

“Noble Yeats had a similar profile last year and he has got that touch of class about him with a Grade One next to his name. I think the handicapper over the past 10 or 15 years has given the good horses a chance of winning the National.

“You can be competitive over 11 stone so that is a weight you would have to be happy with. He jumps well and he ran well on Sunday at Gowran Park. He might have another run before the National.”

Franco de Port (11st 3lbs)

“Franco’s main aim is to go back to the French Grand National. He was third in that last season. He ran very well in the Thyestes last year off top weight so it showed he can carry a big weight in a handicap. The experience around Auteuil would be an advantage to him around Aintree.

“He could definitely have a live each-way chance. He stays very well and he should be good at jumping those types of fences. Auteuil has been his main aim but timing-wise, the Grand National works quite well with that.

“He probably needs extreme distances to bring out the best of his ability even though he won a two mile novice chaser when he was younger, now he just prefers going a lot further.”

Carefully Selected (11st 1lbs)

“He could be a fascinating contender. He is 10, so he is quite old, but he is fairly lightly-raced. He is a very old-fashioned horse and he almost looks like a dinosaur. He was able to win two bumpers and be second in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham so he is not slow, but he obviously stays very well.

“He won the Thyestes last time out and he has the physique to carry that weight so that shouldn’t be any problem. He should stay the trip and again he is kind of unexposed. You would like to think he could improve again from Gowran Park as it was only his second run back after a very long break.

“I’d imagine he could be one of our leading fancies. He just had lots of small niggly problems, but you get that with those big heavy horses and he has the ability to make it worth the wait.”

Gaillard Du Mesnil (11st)

“He could be tailor made for this as he ran very well in the Irish Grand National last year. He is obviously a high-class horse that has got plenty of Grade One form. He stays very well and has plenty of experience.

“I’m not sure running in Grade Ones is the right prep for the Grand National as it maybe leaves you a little bit exposed. With that kind of weight it could be different this year if those at the top of the weights stay in.

“You have to take him seriously, but he could just be a bit more exposed than some of our other horses. The plan is to go to Cheltenham and I’ll do my best to have him heading towards the National Hunt Chase, but you know what Willie is like – nothing is set in stone yet.”

Burrows Saint (10st 12lb)

“He gave me a fantastic spin in it a couple of years ago when I thought his stamina probably gave out in the last half a mile. He is back in again and he is in good form. He looks great and is working great and the plan has always been to go back to Aintree.

“The Topham would be an option for him as well so we will see which route we are going nearer the time. Hopefully he can get a bit further than last year if he runs in the National as he didn’t complete the race last year. Maybe as an older horse he will stay better, but we will definitely consider the Topham as well. He is not a soft ground horse. He needs good ground and he wears a tongue strap. He needs to be kept fresh for the spring.”

Mr Incredible (10st 4lbs)

“He is a horse with a lot of ability. He ran a really good race in the Classic Chase at Warwick. He jumped well and stayed well. He did everything perfectly. He looks an ideal National horse and looks like he could be unexposed.

“He will go to Cheltenham first for the Kim Muir and that should be a great experience for him again. I think he has to have a huge chance. He looks like he will have a fantastic weight. We are looking forward to having a good go at Cheltenham and we are really looking forward to going on to Aintree afterwards.”

Recite A Prayer (10st 1lbs)

“He got a short break after his last run and he is back in now. He has continually surprised and has some good form from some of those big handicap chases in Ireland when he is usually carrying high weights. If he could get in here carrying a low weight that would be a big advantage. He finished 12th in the Becher so he has had a run around the track on ground that would have been too soft for him so that will work in his favour as well.”

Captain Kangaroo (9st 8lbs)

“He won the Cork National very well but just seems to have lost his confidence a little bit now. He will need to brush up his jumping before he goes to Aintree if he did manage to get in, but that is probably unlikely.”

Shark Hanlon – Hewick & Cape Gentleman:

“Hewick has a big weight, but he’s used to carrying a big weight. What can we do? There isn’t anything we can do about it. When they’re good they get those weights and that’s it.

“He gave a stone-and-a-half to everything in Listowel that was going to beat him so I don’t see why we wouldn’t go again.”

“That’s lovely a weight for Cape Gentleman, I’m very happy with that. I’m delighted with that weight – he’ll think he is loose. I’d say they’ll both run.”

Ted Walsh – Any Second Now “All I can say is that I know he’s not Red Rum, I know he’s not a Crisp and he’s not a L’Escargot, so make your own mind up.

“I’m absolutely shocked that he has top weight. He goes there in as good form as he did last year. He is in as good nick as he was last year but he’s got top weight so make your own mind up. I think he’d have to be an exceptional horse to win it with top weight.”

Nicky Henderson – Mister Cofffey: “He needs a few still to come out but the plan is to go to the Grand National. He will go to the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham first, where he will be ridden by Derek O’Connor, then on to Aintree.

“He could have won a Kim Muir by now and he probably should have won at Uttoxeter the other day but unfortunately he didn’t get much luck in running. He will get his head in front one day over fences and if it is at Aintree then so much the better.

“He has run in some fairly exalted company and he has never been dropped back to win a maiden at Plumpton or somewhere like that. He ran in the Topham last season which possibly came a bit quick after his run at Cheltenham but he seemed to enjoy going over the fences and this has always been the plan to come back for a go at the Grand National.

“It was at some stage last season I thought for the first time that he could be a Grand National horse as he is a strong stayer that likes going left-handed so he should be absolutely made for it.

“We normally pop them over a National style fence beforehand, not that it has done me any good in the race in the past, though we have won the Topham a number of times.

“We will keep on trying to win the race. We never go out to buy a Grand National horse, but you could obviously do that, apart from that it is just a case of seeing if something emerges as one.

“We have been placed in the race a number of times and won the Topham a good few times. It is not impossible that I won’t win it at some point but it is becoming more likely that it won’t happen.”

Tom Messenger, assistant to Dan Skelotn:

“Le Milos has got a lovely profile and it’s exciting that he’s guaranteed a run. He’s a proven stayer and although he hasn’t been over the fences before I don’t see it being an issue.

“He’s one we’re really excited about. He won the Coral Gold Cup off 146 so he’s only 6lbs higher here. I think he’s off a competitive weight and fingers crossed we get there.

“The plan is to try and get one more run into him but where we go I’m not entirely sure. The ground hasn’t been ideal of late so it could be that we look at the Premier Chase at Kelso at the beginning of March.”

“Ashtown Lad has been running well over hurdles and we’ve been running him over timber since his win at Aintree. Ideally we’d have run him over fences last weekend at Ascot but the ground was too quick, so we gave him another run over hurdles (in the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock Park) on Saturday.

“He’s obviously proven his ability over fences, though he didn’t look as though he stayed at Ayr last year in the Scottish Grand National. He’s a year older and stronger now so he’s got the option of the National or the Topham Chase over two and a half miles if he doesn’t get in.We could look at the Pertemps in the meantime. He’s come out of Haydock fine at the weekend.”

Donald McCain – Minella Trump: “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. He was very busy for a while and he needed a holiday so he’s had a break and he’s back in fast work now. We’ll try and get a run in somewhere but if we can’t we’ll get him away from home. It’s been an ambition to get Tim (Leslie, owner) a runner in the Grand National so if we can get there that’s great.

“First things first he’s guaranteed a run – if we can get him there so that’s one thing we don’t have to worry about. We’ve got to get the work in and get him to the races and if we get him there he’s got a lovely racing weight. The modern day Grand National has changed a bit but he stays, he’s a thorough professional and he knows how to win.

“I think he’s become very professional in what he does. Would I have classed him as an ‘old Aintree’ horse? No. But it’s a very different race now and he’s had plenty of practice.”

Kim Bailey – Happygolucky: “That is fairly predictable. The plan was to run in the Grand National when he won at Aintree two years ago and providing he runs well at Cheltenham next month, the plan is to run this year in the Grand National this year.

“We were struggling to find a race for him and that is why he went down at Cheltenham last time (on New Year’s Day). The owners were hoping we would get some rain and if we had then two and a half miles at Cheltenham would have been fine, but it wasn’t fine as we didn’t get the rain.

“The plan is to run him next in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He has always given us the impression he is a very good jumper. He has been quite careful this season but he hasn’t had his ground – ideally he wants proper winter ground.”

David Pipe – Remastered: “He has had a good season. He finished very strongly on his last start over fences at Kempton, then he disappointed at Sandown back over hurdles last time. I’m not really sure what happened that day, but you can put a line through it. The only thing I can say is that he has twice been to Sandown and pulled up both times so it’s safe to say we are unlikely to go back there again.

“He is in at Kempton on Saturday and he might go there but wherever he goes he needs to bounce back. If he doesn’t it might put an outing in the National in doubt. Before Sandown he was having his best and strongest season.

“He has the right profile for the Grand National. He appears to have a nice enough weight. I don’t know if he will stay the trip but you can say that about a lot of horses. We will school him over the National-style fences here before the race and he should be good over them.

“He is probably similar to Comply Or Die. It was only after he won the Eider that we were confident he would get the trip but before that he was a three-mile horse that you thought would get further but you never quite knew and that is the category Remastered falls in. He jumps well and gallops so he should fit the bill.

“We have had a good season and of course it would be lovely to win the National again. It was a blow losing Adagio at the start of the season as every yard needs a flagship horse but Remastered has stepped up to fill that role.”

Michael Meagher, racing manager, Cloudy Glen: “I’m very happy with that. It’s essentially the same weight that he carried on Saturday (when third at Haydock Park). I’d say if he got into a rhythm, then why not?

“He’s a bit of a numpty and does his own thing a bit, but he’s good enough to run in a Grand National. He’ll probably run at Cheltenham in the Ultima and then we’ll go to Aintree.”

Joe Chambers, racing manager, Royale Pagaille: “Royale Pagaille suffered a little injury during the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, hence why he hasn’t been seen since. I spoke with Venetia (Williams, trainer) last week and he is on track to run in the Gold Cup albeit without a run. He is very ground dependent and in order for him to be seen at his best he does need it to be as soft as possible.

“With that being said, he had performed very well in handicaps in the UK and we’ve always thought that a Grand National would suit him. We toyed with the prospect of going to France with him last year but given the way the season has panned out this year, it looks as though this may be the year to tackle Aintree.

“He’s won two Peter Marsh Chases and we were hoping to go back for the hat-trick bid, but that was frozen off unfortunately. He’s well able to carry weight, that’s not the problem, his issue is getting ground that he’s able to perform to his optimum on. We’ve seen before when we’ve run him in open company at Grade Two or Grade One level he hasn’t been able to show his best, mainly due to the ground.

“The ground is always on the safe side at Aintree these days, but the more rain the better. We’ll get him to the Gold Cup first as he has an unfortunate habit of picking up little bruises in a lot of his races that require some time off, but hopefully we can get a clear run with him between now and the end of the season and the fact that he’s been given his official rating means he (the handicapper) hasn’t been easy on him but they also haven’t penalised him.”

Joe Tizzard – The Big Breakaway: “He is running off his mark of 151 and that is a lovely racing weight he has. He had top weight in the Welsh National. I don’t think they will go up much at all, so he gets in nicely and he is guaranteed a run.

“The plan is to take him to the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival, then on to Aintree afterwards. Last season we struggled with his shins a bit and we tried to get away with it but it didn’t work. We treated them and we haven’t looked back since. He is a real happy horse in himself. He has fully grown now as he has always been a big horse that has taken a while to fill out his frame. He has run two blinding races so far this season so if he can keep that sort of consistency up, he will run well in both races.

“I always held him in high-regard and I thought the tempo of the race at Chepstow would suit him and that has built his confidence. He jumped super and travelled great that day. I’m expecting him to travel through the race and jump well then after that you need a bit of luck. I think he has got a bit of class and he should be competitive.

“The horse came to us as a family, but he is in my name now which is nice. If he could go run a big race people will see they can run well in my name and it will bode well to getting nice horses in the future.”

Peter Fahey – The Big Dog: “I thought he was going to run a good race at Leopardstown (when falling at the second last in the Irish Gold Cup), so I’m definitely happy. He’s in the mix and it’s a nice weight for him.

“He’s coming into it with a lot to recommend him and I think it’s the ideal race for him. It’s kind of been the plan all year and it’s nice to have a horse going over for it.

“I know he had a bit of a fall the last day but that was in a Grade One and he was going to run a big race. He’s actually had a schooling session with Yogi Breisner this week and he’s jumped really well, so he hasn’t lost any of his confidence after that and we’re looking forward to the National.

“That Leopardstown run was an excellent one and I think he was going to run well above his mark that day, which is a big plus. It’s an awful shame that he fell but he’s come out of it okay and we look forward to running him in England.

“Hopefully he takes to the fences fairly well, but it’s the type of race where you don’t know until you try. You’ve just got to go over and see where you are after the first couple of fences but I think he’ll take to it well. He’s not a slow horse so it should be in his comfort zone, especially if he can be quick over the first couple of fences and get himself into a nice position. e horse and it will be a huge day for everyone in the yard when he goes over there.”

Henry de Bromhead – Envoi Allen, Chris’s Dream, Ain’t That A Shame & Gin On Lime:. “Envoi Allen is in the Ryanair. We’re not sure yet – we’ll see. We haven’t firmed up anything yet. Chris’s Dream is going for the Festival Hunters’ Chase and we’ll see from there.”

“That seems fair enough for Ain’t That A Shame. I’d say we’ll look to get another run in – there are a couple of options or he might just go straight there.

“Gin On Lime’s weight is in and around her mark here. I’d say the Cross Country and then go to Aintree. The Grand National is the most famous race in the world so it meant a huge amount to win it and just to have runners is brilliant. We all look forward to it.”

Kate Harrington – Lifetime Ambition: “He’s rated 155 here in Ireland so he’s 3lbs higher in the UK. I think we have to be happy enough with 11st 3lb – it’s a nice enough weight for him. We’ll see where we do go with him. He’s only an eight-year-old but at the moment it looks a nice opportunity. He jumped round the fences very, very well in the autumn.

“If we ride him a little bit more patiently he could have a very nice chance. We’ll have a chat with the owners (Linda Mulcahy & Mary Wolridge) and it’s whether we go for it this year or we wait and go next year.

“He has got an entry in the Ultima at Cheltenham, which might be a nice stepping stone. Magic Of Light did run in that before finishing second in the National and I know Noble Yeats ran in that race last year as well.”

Martin Brassil – Longhouse Poet: “I think if you’re anywhere around 10st 10lb to 11st 2 or 3lb then you have a reasonable weight. There are more horses winning with over 11st than there used to be. I think the year I won it (2006) I had 10st 8lb and I had another horse finish third on about 10st 11 or 12lb but the better class of horses are running in it since the course was modified, so naturally the classier horses are running in it and a lot of them are getting involved in the finish of it.

“His jockey (Darragh O’Keeffe) was very exuberant on him and he was always trying to make ground instead of maybe saving a bit of energy. We all know he can jump but he’d have been a hell of a horse to keep that up all the way.

“He’s going to run this week in the Bobbyjo (Chase). We’ll be hopeful. We’ll see what the ground is like but he seems in good form. He’s doing plenty of work and doing everything we want him to.

“It’s been a very lucky race for me. I’ve only run three horses in it and sixth is the worst I’ve had. I had the winner and then he finished sixth the next year and then sixth the last year so we can’t complain about the luck we’ve had anyway.

“Lots of fellas spend their whole life trying to win it and have no luck at all and then I get to win it at the first go! Maybe I have a decent idea of how the National should be approached – horses need to be relaxed and good jumpers and sure of themselves and stay out of trouble if they see it. There are lots of little variables there.”

Lucinda Russell – Corach Rambler: “I’m absolutely delighted with 10st 5lbs and if we got that in the Grand National that would be fantastic. He only needs a couple of horses to come out so he’ll probably get a run, so that’s super.

“We haven’t really run him since the Coral Gold Cup so that he could get in the race off this mark. We were tempted to run him but we felt that 146 was probably a nice mark to be going into the race with. He’ll now probably run at Cheltenham (in the Ultima Handicap Chase) and we’re very pleased with that as a racing weight – if the top weights run in the National that will suit us.

“The big question is going to be if he takes to the fences. I think nowadays the fences are a lot kinder than they were in even Scu’s (Peter Scudamore, partner) day – they’re fair fences now. He’s a very intelligent horse and if he doesn’t take to them we’ll know by the fourth or fifth fence. It’s an honest test and I think he’s an honest horse to take them on.”

More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.