Nicholls has ten in Grand National

Paul Nicholls has made 10 entries for this year's John Smith's Grand National At Aintree.

A total of 102 horses have been engaged in the April 9 showpiece and Argento Chase winner Neptune Collonges spearheads the English champion trainer's team.

Also entered from the Ditcheat team are What A Friend, The Tother One, Taranis, Tricky Trickster, Niche Marketl Gullible Gordon, Just Amazing, Meanus Dandy and Ornais.

Donald McCain, whose father Ginger trained four John Smith's Grand National winners, has the current ante-post favourite for this year's race in Ballabriggs.

McCain has also entered Sir Robert Ogden's recent Doncaster winner Sagalyrique and Khachaturian.

Don't Push It, who carried 11st 5lb to victory last year, along with Welsh National hero Synchronised and Can't Buy Time, who fell in last year's race, are three entries for trainer Jonjo O'Neill and owner JP McManus.

Indeed, McManus - enjoying his first John Smith's Grand National win last year - has three other entries - the recently-purchased Quolibet, trained in France by Francois Doumen, as well as Arbor Supreme and Quiscover Fontaine, representing Willie Mullins.

Raiders from this side of the Irish Sea have won half the last 12 runnings of the John Smith's Grand National and Mullins, successful with Hedgehunter in 2005, is responsible for nine of the 34 Irish-trained possibles this year, including The Midnight Club.

One trainer bidding for glory with his first runner in the world's most famous chase is County Tyrone-based Barry Potts, who has taken charge of Notre Pere, winner of the 2008 Welsh National and 2009 Grade One Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown.

Among the other Irish-trained entries are the Edward O'Grady-trained Tranquil Sea, winner of the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on his latest start, Noel Glynn's stable star Becauseicouldntsee, the Martin Lynch-trained Oscar Time, a likely mount for leading amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, and the Gordon Elliott-trained Backstage.

The 12-year-old Comply Or Die, who won the 2008 John Smith's Grand National and finished second a year later, is one of five representatives for trainer David Pipe, while Nigel Twiston-Davies - successful in the 1998 race with Earth Summit and four years later with Bindaree - also has a quintet of entries, including Hello Bud and Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Little Josh.

Tidal Bay, winner of the 2008 Grade One John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree, is one of five entries from trainer Howard Johnson, while other classy entrants include the 2010 third State Of Play, who is set to make his seasonal debut in the John Smith's Grand National for handler Evan Williams, and last year's fourth, Big Fella Thanks, who has joined Ferdy Murphy's stable.