A trio of Irish-trained horses – last year's runner-up Any Second Now, Conflated and Hewick – will carry top weight of 11st12lb in the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 15.
While trainer Emmet Mullins' 2022 hero Noble Yeats will carry 1lb off top weight of 11st11lb at Aintree in his bid to defend his crown. He remains on course for a crack at both the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at next month's Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National.
As the weights, framed for a fifth year by the British Horseracing Authority's lead jumps handicapper Martin Greenwood, were revealed for the world's greatest steeplechase at the traditional lunch at St George's Hall in Liverpool city centre, here is what some of the trainers said:
READ MORE: Full list of entries and weights as trio of Irish-trained horses head handicap
Trainer Shark Hanlon – Hewick (11st12lb) and Cape Gentleman (10st8lb)
"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 (unseated at final fence in Kerry National) so I don't see why we wouldn't go again.
"Cape Gentleman's weight is lovely, 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 (11st12lb)
"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."
Reflecting on his previous National triumph, he added: "Winning with Papillon was great. Winning the National is an outstanding moment, but to have your son on board makes it all the sweeter."
Emmet Mullins – Noble Yeats (11st11lb), The Shunter (10st11lb)
"I can't complain with a rating of 166. It's 19lb more than last year which will be a big ask, but he seems to have progressed well this year and we know he takes to the fences. It's horses for courses and fingers crossed he can put up a bold show.
"That's (weight) about right (for The Shunter). He's still not qualified I think, on the distance, so potentially he might have an entry next weekend.
"I have two or three races earmarked before the deadline and, fingers crossed, I pick the right one and get him qualified. The intention will be to take his place then if he gets qualified."
Gordon Elliott – Conflated (11st12lb), Galvin (11st11lb), Fury Road (11st6lb), Delta Work (11st4lb), Coko Beach (11st), Pencilfulloflead (10st12lb), Farclas (10st10lb), Escaria Ten (10st10lb), Battleoverdoyen (10st4lb), Ash Tree Meadow (10st4lb), Death Duty (10st), Defi Bleu (9st12lb), Gevrey (9st10lb), Milan Native (9st10lb), Punitive (9st10lb), Fakiera (9st8lb) and Mortal (9st8lb)
"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 (for Coko Beach) at Punchestown on Sunday. 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.
"He (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."
"He (Conflated) 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."
"He (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," said Elliott.is a possible, though, having finished third in the Thyestes last time out.
"He (Pencilfuloflead) 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 11st mark and is exactly in the sort of place where we want to be in the race. He should enjoy a test like this."
"He (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."
Trainer Lucinda Russell – Corach Rambler (10st5lb)
"I'm absolutely delighted with that weight 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.
"He'll now probably run at Cheltenham (in the Ultima). 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 and he's a very intelligent horse - if he doesn't take to them we'll know by the fourth or fifth fence."
READ MORE: Grand National 2023: dates, tickets and how to watch on TV
Trainer Nicky Henderson – Mister Coffey (10st4lb)
"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 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."
Tom Messenger, assistant to trainer Dan Skelton – Le Milos (10st11lb) and Ashtown Lad (10st3lb)
"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 6lb higher here. I think he's off a competitive weight and fingers crossed we get there.
"Ashtown Lad has been running well over hurdles – we've been running him over timber since his win in the Becher Chase 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 (finished third in the 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 if he doesn't get in."
Trainer Donald McCain – Minella Trump (10st6lb)
"It's all about getting in the race and getting a run. Obviously it's a way off yet, but that's a lovely racing weight.
"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 to 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.
"The modern day Grand National has changed a bit but he stays, he's a thorough professional and he knows how to win."
Trainer Kim Bailey – Happygolucky (10st 11lb)
"The plan is to run him next in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the 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."
Trainer David Pipe – Remastered (10st 10lb)
"Remastered 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.
"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."
Mick Meagher, racing manager to the Hemmings family – Cloudy Glen (10st4lb)
"I'm very happy with that. It's essentially the same weight that he carried on Saturday (when third in Grand National Trial at Haydock). I'd say if he got into a rhythm, then why not?
"He'll probably run at Cheltenham in the Ultima and then we'll go to Aintree."
Joe Chambers, racing manager to owners Rich and Susannah Ricci –Royale Pagaille (11st8lb) and Burrows Saint (10st12lb)
"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."
Trainer Joe Tizzard – The Big Breakaway (10st10lb)
"He is running off his mark of 151 and that is a lovely racing weight he has. 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."
Trainer Peter Fahey – The Big Dog (11st5lb)
"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."
Trainer Henry de Bromhead – Envoi Allen (11st8lb) and Chris's Dream (11st), Ain't That A Shame (10st5lb), Gin On Lime (10st4lb)
"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 weight 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. I'd say well go for the cross-country at Cheltenham and then go to Aintree."
Trainer Martin Brassil – Longhouse Poet (11st)
"I think if you're anywhere around 10st10lb to 11st2lb or 11st3lb 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 (Numbersixvalverde, 2006) I had 10st8lb and I had another horse finish third on about 10st11lb or 10st12lb, but the better class of horses are running in it since the course was modified and a lot of them are getting involved in the finish of it. Longhouse Poet was sixth in the race last year and he's going to run this week in the Bobbyjo (Chase)."
