Lane tops National weights Cloudy Lane heads the weights for the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday after 74 horses were left in at the confirmation stage. Snoopy Loopy and Nozic have both been withdrawn moving the weights up 3lb to leave Trevor Hemmings' nine-year-old shouldering 11st 10lb in the four-and-a-half mile marathon. Trained by Donald McCain, Cloudy Lane was sent off 7/1 joint favourite last year finishing sixth behind Comply Or Die. As expected, Roll Along, King Johns Castle and Character Building were all absentees, while among the other withdrawls were the Irish trio of Afistfullofdollars, Conna Castle and Tumbling Dice. Carl Llewellyn has taken out Gold Cup sixth Roll Along as he 'needs more time between his races', while Hobbs Hill, Always Waining, King Harald, Ice Tea and Hot Weld will also not run. The David Pipe-trained Comply Or Die will attempt to become the first horse since the legendary Red Rum (1973 and '74), trained by McCain's father Ginger, to land back-to-back victories. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has yet to saddle a National winner but looks to have probably his best chance to date with a four-strong team - My Will, Eurotrek, Big Fella Thanks and Cornish Sett. Ante-post favourite My Will is the choice of jockey Ruby Walsh, who is already a two-time winner with Papillon (2000) and Hedgehunter (2005) Walsh's sister and agent Jennifer confirmed, 'Ruby is going to ride My Will. He said with the ground the way it is (good), he thinks it will suit him.' Among the fancied Irish-trained contenders are 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition (now set to carry 11st9lb), last year's National third Snowy Morning, Becher Chase victor Black Apalachi and 2008 Irish National winner Hear The Echo.
