Exotic Dancer & Hedgehunter Head John Smith's Grand National Weights

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Exotic Dancer (11st 12lb), successful three times at Cheltenham this season and runner-up to Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, jointly heads the weights for the 2007 John Smith's Grand National.

The progressive seven-year-old has the same weight for the #700,000 contest as previous John Smith's Grand National victor Hedgehunter (11st 12lb), who followed up on his spectacular 14-length success in 2005 by finishing second in both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the John Smith's Grand National last season. Hedgehunter has risen in the ratings 2lb for this year's race.

Hedgehunter found only one too good by six lengths in 2006, Numbersixvalverde (11st 3lb) whose rating has increased by 11lb as the Martin Brassil-trained 11-year-old bids to become the first horse to score back-to-back victories in the world's greatest chase since Red Rum in 1973 and 1974.

Last year's John Smith's Grand National third and 2004 runner-up, Clan Royal (10st 9lb), is 1lb higher in the ratings this time, as is the 2006 fourth Nil Desperandum (10st 6lb).

Phil Smith, the British Horseracing Board's senior handicapper who frames a special handicap for the John Smith's Grand National, has managed to get 87 of the 117 qualified horses into the handicap proper (ie down to and including 10st), the second highest total every which emphasises what a top-class renewal of the race this will be.

There were 85 in the handicap proper when the 2006 weights were issued, as against a record 92 in 2005. There are likely to be some disappointed owners and trainers because the maximum number allowed to line up at 4.15pm on Saturday, April 14, is 40.

Irish-trained horses have succeeded in five of the last eight John Smith's Grand National. In addition to Numbersixvalverde and Hedgehunter, the 33-strong entry from Ireland this year also includes the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup third Forget The Past (11st 9lb), the 2006 John Smith's Melling Chase runner-up Fota Island (11st 9lb), Far From Trouble (10st 10lb), the 2006 Galway Plate winner who recently returned to action with a smooth victory over hurdles at Down Royal on February 7, and Dun Doire (10st 8lb) from the Tony Martin stable who is sure to attract plenty of supporters, while other significant Irish contenders include Point Barrow (10st 12lb), successful in last season's Irish Grand National and triumphant in the valuable Pierse Handicap Chase at Leopardstown more recently, and Hedgehunter's stable companion Homer Wells (10st 6lb), successful last time out in a big race at Gowran Park.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls' eight entries include Eurotrek (11st 8lb), successful over the famous Aintree fences when victorious in the totesport.com Becher Chase in November, Royal Auclair (11st 1lb), runner-up to Hedgehunter in 2005, and Ladalko (11st 2lb), winner of the valuable totesport Classic Chase at Warwick last month.

The French potentially have a strong hand, with trainer Francois Doumen responsible for four entries - Kelami (10st 12lb), successful in the William Hill Chase at Cheltenham in 2005, Innox (10st 8lb), seventh behind Hedgehunter two years ago, L'Ami (11st 8lb), who gave Kauto Star a fright in the AON Chase at Newbury on Saturday, and Nitrat (9st 11lb). Fellow French handler Francois Cottin has the high-class Louping d'Ainay (11st 9lb) engaged.

Liberthine (10st 6lb) has already tasted success over the Aintree fences as she collected the John Smith's Topham Chase in 2006 and amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen hopes to be able to partner her in the John Smith's Grand National, especially as he reached the 10-winner mark at Plumpton yesterday, the minimum figure needed for being able to apply for special dispensation to ride in the great race.

The improving State Of Play (11st 8lb), trained in Wales by Evan Williams, won the Hennessy Cognac at Newbury in November, while the 2006 top-weight at the weights lunch Monkerhostin (11st 6lb) and Lacdoudal (11st 4lb), the 2006 Betfred Gold Cup winner, have the heaviest burdens among Philip Hobbs' four possible contenders.

Bewley's Berry (10st 7lb), Longshanks (10st 7lb), Preacher Boy (10st 3lb), Sir Rembrandt (11st 4lb), Ossmoses (10st 5lb), Kandjar D'Allier (10st 8lb), Billyvoddan (11st 4lb) and Jack High (10st 3lb) could be well in. Betfair, the official betting partner of the Grand National Meeting, have three horses disputing favouritism at 15 (14/1), Hedgehunter, Numbersixvalverde and Far From Trouble, with Point Barrow (15.5 - 14.5/1) and Dun Doire (17.5 - 16.5/1) at not much bigger odds. There is a complete list of Betfair prices in this media pack.

Charles Barnett, Aintree's managing director, commented: 'I congratulate Phil Smith on having so many John Smith's Grand National horses in the handicap proper and the Betfair betting suggests a most competitive renewal.'