Bumper 150 For 2008 John Smith's Grand National

A bumper entry of 150, the second-highest in recent times, is revealed today for the 2008 John Smith's Grand National. This year's renewal of the world's most famous chase, worth a record £800,000, takes place at Aintree on Saturday, April 5.

Ireland has won six of the last nine renewals of the John Smith's Grand National and there is a massive Irish entry of 38 in 2008, which equals the record set in 2006. Six entries hail from France.

The two trainers with the highest number of entries are David Pipe and Peter Bowen, who both have 11 contenders engaged.

Peter Bowen is looking forward to running last year's fast-finishing runner-up McKelvey and the Pembrokeshire-based handler is hopeful that his star chaser will run another big race over the famous Aintree fences.

Bowen commented today: 'McKelvey is in good form and he will probably have a spin over hurdles at the beginning of March. Ideally, I would like to get two runs over hurdles into him before the John Smith's Grand National.

'He is about nine pounds higher over fences than when he finished second in the race last year, so he will have his first chase start this season at Aintree in April.

'He has come back from his tendon injury well and he looks as good as he has ever been, so we are hopeful of another good run at Aintree in April again this year.'

Bowen's other entries include Ballycassidy, who was badly hampered when challenging for the lead at Becher's on the second circuit in last year's John Smith's Grand National, as well as last season's John Smith's Topham Chase winner Dunbrody Millar.

Bowen has also entered unexposed chaser Blue Splash, Always Waining, Irish Wolf, Iron Man, Mr Ed, Lankawi, Tommy Spar and 2005 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Take The Stand.

If successful in 2008, Bowen will become only the second Welsh-based trainer to capture the John Smith's Grand National - the only previous Welsh victory was Kirkland in 1905.

David Pipe, whose father Martin trained the 1994 winner Miinnehoma and saddled a record 10 runners in 2001, has made entries for Celestial Gold, successful in the Grade Two John Smith's Bowl at Aintree in 2006, Hennessy Gold Cup fourth Madison du Berlais, the smart Vodka Bleu, winner of his last two starts, Joacci, Over The Creek, Milan Deux Mille, Comply Or Die, Whispered Secret, Not Left Yet and Sixo.

Hedgehunter, successful in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National, runner up in 2006 and ninth last year, is entered once again and is one of seven entries from Willie Mullins' yard. Mullins could also be represented by Alexander Taipan, Snowy Morning, second behind Denman in the 2007 Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham and a comfortable winner over hurdles at Punchestown last time out, Livingstonebramble, Bothar Na, Homer Wells and Rule Supreme, successful in the 2004 Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The powerful Irish challenge in 2008 could also include the 10-time Grade One winner Beef Or Salmon, the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Forget The Past, 2006 John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase victor Foreman, Slim Pickings, third behind Silver Birch in the 2007 John Smith's Grand National, King Johns Castle, runner-up in the valuable Pierse Handicap Chase at Leopardstown earlier this month and Point Barrow, the 2006 Irish Grand National winner who fell at the first when well-supported for the 2007 John Smith's Grand National. The shrewd Tony Martin has entered five, including Royal County Star, successful in Navan's Troytown Chase earlier this season, Dun Doire, winner of the 2006 William Hill Chase at Cheltenham but a disappointment in last season's John Smith's Grand National, Newbay Prop, successful in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas Meeting, Patsy Hall and Wonderkid, triumphant over the Cross Country course at Cheltenham on his latest appearance.

Champion British trainer Paul Nicholls has yet to win the John Smith's Grand National but looks to hold a phenomenal hand this year, with his seven entries headed by the current ante-post favourite Mr Pointment. The nine-year-old put himself firmly in the picture for the extended four and a half mile contest when landing the totesport Becher Chase at Aintree on November 25 when he was a length too good for Bewleys Berry - one of four entries for the Andrea & Graham Wylie/Howard Johnson team. Nicholls' septet also includes Thisthatandtother, Turko, Opera Mundi, the 2005 runner-up Royal Auclair, Cornish Sett and Le Duc.

Jonjo O'Neill went close to winning the John Smith's Grand National with the 2004 runner-up Clan Royal and the Gloucestershire handler's quintet this year includes last season's Irish Grand National victor Butler's Cabin, who looks to be the standout among the 11 entries owned by the legendary Irish owner and gambler J P McManus. Butler's Cabin is also likely to be the mount of Tony McCoy. The pick of Ferdy Murphy's five entries are the 2007 William Hill Chase winner Joes Edge and Nine De Sivola, runner-up in both Scottish and Irish Grand Nationals last season.

Gloucestershire-based Nigel Twiston-Davies is the only current trainer to have saddled more than one winner of the John Smith's Grand National (Earth Summit 1998 & Bindaree 2002) and he has eight engaged this year including Knowhere, successful in the Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham on January 26, as well as Ardaghey, Baron Windrush, the smart Fundamentalist, Irish Raptor, Naunton Brook, Patman du Charmil and Grade One winner Ollie Magern.

The surname McCain is synonymous with the magic of the John Smith's Grand National and Donald McCain Jnr, whose father Ginger trained the only three-time winner of the race in Red Rum as well as the 2004 victor Amberleigh House, has three entered. They are the progressive Cloudy Lane, successful in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last season and a winner at Haydock Park last time out, as well as Idle Talk and Bannister Lane.

Other prominent entries include Simon, a leading fancy when falling at Valentine's on the final circuit last year, the 2006 Red Square Vodka Gold Cup winner Ossmoses, smart novice Joe Lively, Turpin Green, Lampion Du Bost, successful over the Grand National fences when taking the totepool Grand Sefton Chase at the North West Racing Masters in November and Philson Run, fourth behind Silver Birch last year.

Five former Grand National-winning jockeys who are now trainers have entries. Richard Guest (Red Marauder 2001) has entered Our Armageddon, Nigel Hawke (Seagram 1991) has Loulou Nivernais, Brendan Powell (1988 Rhyme ?N' Reason) could run Bosham Mill, Bengo has been put in by Ben De Haan (1983 Corbiere) while Michael Scudamore, successful aboard Oxo 49 years ago, could be represented by Azulejo.

The weights for the John Smith's Grand National will be revealed at the weights lunch in London on Tuesday, February 5.

There is a maximum field of 40 for the 2008 John Smith's Grand National.

The number of entries for the John Smith's Grand National since 1985 have been: 2008-150; 2007-119; 2006-148; 2005-152; 2004-122; 2003-149; 2002-144, 2001-133, 2000-108, 1999-103, 1998-103, 1997-102, 1996-82, 1995-82, 1994-98, 1993-97, 1992-104, 1991-85, 1990-90, 1989-96, 1988-105, 1987-98, 1986-109 and 1985-100.

Julian Thick, Managing Director at Aintree, commented: 'The John Smith's Grand National is worth a record £800,000 in 2008 and it is heartening to see this has been rewarded with a magnificent 150 entries.

'We are especially pleased to see a joint-record number of entries from Ireland and all eyes will now be focused on next week's unveiling of the weights.'