85 Left In John Smith´s Grand National

There are 85 horses going forward after today´s five-day stage for the £700,000 John Smith´s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. With Grey Abbey and Sir Rembrandt dropping out, the new top-weight on 11st 12lb is Le Coudray, with the weights all having risen by 3lb.

The maximum number of horses allowed to run in the world´s most famous chase is 40, which means that the bottom one guaranteed to get in the race at the moment is Simply Gifted on 10st 6lb.

Welsh National runner-up Strong Resolve needs one to come out, while the much-fancied Longshanks, who has also been declared for Thursday´s John Smith´s Topham Trophy, needs seven to drop out to secure a place in Saturday´s big-race line-up. This is according to current numerical order but any eliminations will be made by the horses´ official handicap marks at the 48-hour declaration stage - the latest handicap marks will be known tomorrow.

At the corresponding stage 12 months ago, there were 61 still in the Grand National, and Charles Barnett, managing director at Aintree, is 'delighted' with the trainers´ reaction.

He said: 'What is particularly pleasing is that every horse that goes to post on Saturday in the John Smith´s Grand National will be in the handicap proper, which is testimony to the quality of the race.'

Absentees include Martin Pipe´s Seebald and Jurancon II, the Irish-trained Rince Ri, Timbera and Alexander Banquet, and Francois Doumen´s Kelami, whose owner, John Halewood, will now rely on last year´s winner Amberlegh House.

JP McManus, who owns Le Coudray, also has the second highest in the weights in First Gold (11st 11lb), and the Irish millionaire´s possibles still include Risk Accessor, Clan Royal, Spot Thedifference, Shamawan, Innox, World Wide Web, Be My Better Half, Multeen River, Mini Sensation, Sharkin Island, Dark Room and Farinel.