Push & Neptune top National weights

Last year's winner Don't Push It and Neptune Collonges top the weights for the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree.

The pair, trained by Jonjo O'Neil and Paul Nicholls respectively, will both shoulder 11st 10lb in news revealed on Aintree's official Twitter feed, AintreeInsider.

Howard Johnson's Tidal Bay is next best on 11st 9lb while the Neil Mulholland-trained Midnight Chase is on 11st 8lb.

Evan Williams' Deep Purple features next on the list on 11st 7lb.

The weights were revealed at the meetings official launch on Tuesday morning and the historic race has attracted 101 entries, with 34 trained in Ireland and one in France.

Ballabriggs has been to the fore of the ante-post market and Donald McCain's charge has been allotted a weight of 11 stone as he bids to provide the trainer with his first success in the race; his father, Ginger, famously won the race four times - three times with Red Rum.

Paul Nicholls has enjoyed little luck in the National so far but Niche Market is a leading fancy to provide the champion trainer with an upturn in his fortunes and has been allotted 10-13.

He is one of five entries from the Ditcheat stable along with joint top-weight Neptune Collonges, What A Friend, Taranis and The Tother One.

Don't Push It provided Tony McCoy and owner J P McManus with a long-awaited victory in the world's most famous race last April and McManus has a strong team entered in a bid to repeat the success.

Last year's hero is joined in the initial entry by Welsh National winner Synchronised, Quolibet, Quiscover Fontaine, Can't Buy Time and Arbor Supreme.

Backstage was a leading fancy for last year's contest only to be brought down but National winning trainer Gordon Elliot will be hoping for better luck this time around with his charge who has been handed 10-12.

A strong Irish challenge also includes nine from Willie Mullins' stable, including the Thyestes Chase runner-up The Midnight Club and Dooneys Gate whilst Edward O'Grady has handed an entry to his smart two and a half mile performer Tranquil Sea.

Other notable entries include Big Fella Thanks, State Of Play, Tidal Bay and West End Rocker who is ante-post favourite for the Grand National Trial at Haydock on Saturday.