Mouse unhappy with Echo weight

Trainer reaction to National weights

Mouse Morris: (War Of Attrition 11st 1lb, Hear The Echo 10st 11lb): "Hear The Echo seems very badly handicapped to me. I thought he would have around 10st 4lb or 10st 7lb so 10st 11lb seems very harsh, especially on a line through War.

"All the Irish seem to have plenty of weight, he (the handicapper) doesn't seem to have given us a fair crack of the whip to me.

"Hear The Echo will probably run in the Red Mills Chase this weekend and then go straight to Aintree. The plan with the War is still to go to the Gold Cup and take it from there."

Jim Dreaper (Notre Pere 11st 4lb): "The plan is for him to run in the Hennessy and I suppose in a way it is good the race was postponed as the weights have now come out before he runs in that.

"That said, the weight is kind of irrelevant as we sort of knew what we were going to get. We'll have a look at him next Sunday against the so-called Gold Cup pretenders and we can assess him after that.

"The National is only an option at this stage."

Dessie Hughes (Black Apalachi 10st 11lb, Oulart 9st 7lb, Sea Diva 9st 2lb): "I don't mind Exotic Dancer being in there if we were on our proper mark but effectively Black Apalachi is up 21lb since winning the Becher.

"He'll run in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse before he goes to Aintree.

"Oulart has jumped round there as well so he'll definitely go if he gets into the race - he'll go for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham beforehand. Sea Diva will obviously not get in."

Noel Meade (Afistfullofdollars 11st 1lb, Mattock Ranger 9st 9lb): "Obviously when Denman was in the race it looked a nice opportunity for Afistfullofdollars but with him out, it looks a different proposition.

"He'll run in the Hennessy on Sunday and while he has been off the track a while, he is in good shape.

"Mattock Ranger jumps and stays well and while his form has been very poor recently, I think he just wants better ground.

"The trip would be no problem and he is well capable of getting round but whether he would get in is another thing."

Tom O'Leary (Preists Leap 10st 11lb): "I'd be fairly happy with that. Weight isn't really an issue with this horse because he's very strong. As long as the ground is soft I think he'd have a really good chance.

"I was expecting something like that because he went up 11lb for winning his second Thyestes.

"He'll have a couple of days hunting and one more run and then it's straight to Aintree."

Keith Reveley (Rambling Minster 10st 1lb): "That sounds good enough to me and we would have a fighting chance of getting in off that.

"That would be a smashing weight so we'll see how things go between now and then and if he's in good form, we could give it a go.

"He's entered at Haydock at the weekend but that must be a bit doubtful but I'd like to give him another run or two before the National."

Charlie Swan: (One Cool Cookie 10st 11lb, Offshore Account 10st 5lb, Oodachee 9st 4lb)

"He seems to have given One Cool Cookie way more than he should have when you consider Exotic Dancer is rated 174. He's ran in England off around 150 and has ran to his mark.

"I don't know where he gets this mark from - it's absolutely crazy. It's unlikely he will run with that weight.

"Offshore Account should get in near the bottom somewhere and while he has been off a long time, he seems grand.

"We have been taking things slowly with him and hopefully we will give him one more run before we look at Aintree. It is fingers crossed with him.

"Oodachee is obviously going to struggle to get in but we'll see what happens at the next entry stage and if he doesn't get a run, he'll go for the Topham."

Tom Taaffe (Cane Brake 10st 13lb, Tumbling Dice 9st 12lb, Kings Advocate 9st 3lb): "It's all a guessing game at the minute what will run near the top of the weights, but we're very much looking forward to running Cane Brake in the National.

"He'll have one run somewhere beforehand and he ran a really good race at Leopardstown last time. Hopefully he would improve a bit for that.

"If Tumbling Dice creeps in, he will definitely run and he didn't run a bad race at Fairyhouse last time."

Tom George (Kilbeggan Blade 9st 13lb): "That sounds about ideal to me. If a few at the top don't run it would put him in on about 10st 4lb and that is just about right.

"He's an improved horse and the National has been the plan for a long time.

"He'll have one more run over hurdles and then it will be Aintree, all being well.

"We just need to keep our fingers crossed that he gets in."