The last three winners of the Grand National could all return to Aintree.(credit:
Tim, Edwards)
A whopping 112 horses have been entered for this year’s Aintree Grand National, including the last three winners of the famous steeplechase.
Silver Birch, Comply Or Die and Mon Mome are all in contention for the Liverpool showpiece on 10 April and they head a high class group of entries.
2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition will look for a return to the spotlight at Aintree while last year’s challengers My Will, State Of Play, Cerium and Big Fella Thanks are all in with a chance of making the forty runner field.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has a typically strong hand in the race and despite never winning the spectacle, he must stand a good chance entering My will along with this year’s antepost favourite Tricky Trickster and Argento Chase runaway winner Taranis.
The National’s most successful trainer still in business, Nigel Twiston-Davies, saddled Earth Summit to glory in 1998 and Bindaree in 2002 and he has entered seven horses in a bid to continue his superb record in the race.
Phil Smith, the British Horseracing Authority's head of handicapping, has admitted he is thrilled with the entries and explained: "There is fantastic strength in depth to the entries.
"There are more horses rated 140 or above among the entries in this year's race than in the previous 11 years that I have handicapped the contest."
Julian Thick, managing director at Aintree, added: "It is a measure of the race's health and stature as the world's most famous steeplechase that we have so many Grade One winners in there, including a Cheltenham Gold Cup victor.
"It will be interesting to see how Phil Smith frames the weights and we now look forward to the official unveiling of them at the Grand National launch on Tuesday, 16 February."
Follow this link to Ladbrokes for information on how to get a remarkable free £25 bet on this year’s Grand National.
The Grand National 2010 - Ladbrokes
4m 4f, Aintree, Next April
16 Tricky Trickster, 20 Big Fella Thanks, 20 Black Apalachi, 20 Niche Market, 20 Possol, 25 Arbor Supreme, 25 Backstage, 25 Comply Or Die, 25 Mon Mome, 25 State Of Play, 25 Vic Venturi, 33 Beroni, 33 Butlers Cabin, 33 Can't Buy Time, 33 Character Building, 33 Don't Push It, 33 Dream Alliance, 33 Hello Bud, 33 Irish Raptor, 33 Treacle, 33 War Of Attrition, 40 King Johns Castle, 40 My Will, 40 Snowy Morning, others on request (1/4 odds 1,2,3,4)