Hedge Leads Hunt For 2006 John Smith´s Grand National

Last year´s winner Hedgehunter heads 96 entries remaining in the 2006 John Smith´s Grand National after today´s second forfeit stage with 58 horses currently in the handicap

Willie Mullins´ charge, who finished an excellent second to War Of Attrition in last week´s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, is set to share top weight of 11st 12lb with the 2005 John Smith´s Grand National runner-up Royal Auclair following the withdrawal today or original top weight Monkerhostin, one of 26 horses who have come out at today´s second forfeit stage. The weights will rise by 2lb following Monkerhostin´s withdrawal.

But virtually all the leading contenders remain in the #700,000 event, run at Aintree on Saturday, April 8.

Aintree specialist Clan Royal, who finished second to Amberleigh House in the 2004 John Smith´s Grand National and was travelling ominously well when being carried out in last year´s race, is one of 10 J P McManus-owned entries still in the 2006 event with others including the Racing Post Chase winner Innox, trained in France by Francois Doumen.

No trainer has been more successful in the John Smith´s Grand National than Ginger McCain and he will bid for a unique fifth success with either the 2004 winner Amberleigh House, who had a spin over hurdles at Hereford yesterday, or Ebony Light, who this morning had a gallop at Aintree under his big-race pilot Stephen Craine.

'Ebony Light wants all of four miles and if he is in the first 16 or 20 going round second time then we´ll have a big shout,' said McCain. 'He is a far better horse on softer ground, he´ll go through it when others won´t. Although he made a couple of minor errors over these fences in the Sefton Chase, he ran on like a train up the straight and was crying out for another circuit. Stephen Craine will ride him.'

Amberleigh House is now 14 years old but McCain would not be surprised to see him run a big race. 'He certainly won´t be disgraced, he´s the best Liverpool horse we´ve seen in recent years and I can certainly see him finish in the first six. There is always a magical story in the National and at Aintree and I just have a sneaking suspicion that this year´s magic could be all about the first 14-year-old to win.'

Hedgehunter is one of 19 horses bidding to continue a tremendous recent run for Ireland, both at last week´s Cheltenham Festival and at Aintree, where raiders from across the Irish Sea have accounted for four of the last seven John Smith´s Grand National winners.

Other leading Irish-trained contenders include the 2005 Irish Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde, trained by Martin Brassil, Ted Walsh´s Betfred Gold Cup hero Jack High and Garvivonnian, star of Ned Mitchell´s small stable.

Charles Barnett, Aintree´s Managing Director, said: 'I am very pleased to see 96 horses still in the race. It promises to be another great contest and every runner is virtually certain to be in the handicap on April 8.

'We were delighted to see Hedgehunter go so close in the Gold Cup last week and, while his task will not be easy, another stable visit to the winner´s yard in Carlow is not impossible.'

Tony Calvin, spokesman for Betfair, Aintree´s official betting partner, added: 'The two horses at the top of the market look sure to run massive races once again, and are clearly worthy favourites. But there is growing Betfair confidence behind Irish National winner Numbersixvalverde, backed down from 95 to third favouritism at 17, and Sir Rembrandt, supported from 150 to 20.'

Betfair´s latest betting is: 7 Hedgehunter, 7.6 Clan Royal, 17 Numbersixvalverde, 18 Innox, 20 Sir Rembrandt, 25 Jack High, 27 Cornish Rebel, 28 Dun Doire, 32 Sir OJ, 34 bar