National weights up 3lb as First Gold comes out Le Coudray heads the weights for the Martell Cognac Grand National, which have been raised by 3lb due to the absence of First Gold at the 48 hour declaration stage.The Christy Roche-trained top-weight is one of four runners for owner J P McManus, and he will carry 11st 12lb in the Aintree showpiece, just 2lb above last year´s winner Monty´s Pass.As expected, Timbera was not declared due to a lung infection and, together with First Gold, the other main absentees in the #600,000 contest were Wahiba Sands, Whereareyounow, Hermes III, Royal Predica, Simply Gifted, Iznogoud and Maximize.Champion trainer Martin Pipe, who won the race in ´94 with Miinnehoma, has seven runners including the well-fancied Jurancon II (Tony McCoy) and first reserve Montreal who will replace Silver Streak after the latter was found to have bled when working this morning.Willie Mullins has been pleased with the preparation of his two challengers, long-time ante-post favourite Hedgehunter and Alexander Banquet. 'They are both well. Their preparation has been very good and I´m delighted with them. We´d like about four inches of rain for them but we´re not going to get it. Both of them have won on goodish ground and I´d be more concerned about a clear passage through the race than ground.'A quarter of the field are Irish-trained, with Le Coudray, Monty´s Pass and the Willie Mullins pair joined by Risk Accessor, Davids Lad, Alcapone, Takagi, The Bunny Boiler and Spot Thedifference.The bottom horse on the list of 40 is Luzcadou, while the remaining three reserves are Bramblehill Duke, Kildorragh and Scotmail Boy.Hedgehunter, Jurancon II and dual course winner Clan Royal head the betting market at around the 10/1 mark.
