Trainers Reactions to National Weights

Ferdy Murphy (Nine De Sivola 10st 8lb, Joes Edge 10st 4lb, You´re Special 9st 13lb, Leading Man 9st 12lb, Noir Et Vert 9st 12lb):

"All of mine are good ground horses and have been trained for spring campaigns. You´re Special is a Cheltenham Festival winner but has been dropped 9lb, which is a surprise to me as he might not get in now. Joes Edge is very well and will run next week in a veterans´ race, in which You´re Special will also run.

"Nine De Sivola will run in the next seven to eight days at Kelso or Plumpton in a novice chase. He´ll go to Cheltenham for the four-miler but Aintree might come a bit quick for him after that and Joes Edge is the obvious one of mine."

Paul Murphy (Contraband 10st 11lb):

"I think he will run but he´s high enough for a horse that hasn´t raced since last year. He is a class horse, he won an Arkle, and he´s been out hunting every Saturday to cheer him up a bit. He will have a run at Cheltenham and then probably head straight to Aintree."

Jonjo O´Neill (Butler´s Cabin 11st, Bob Hall 10st 8lb, Drombeag 10st 3lb, Risk Accessor 10st 1lb, Innox 9st 13lb):

"Butler´s Cabin seems in good form and he does jump and stay. He hasn´t been to Aintree before but I think he is big enough to take to the fences and if he does take to them then he has a live chance. It is head which could be a bigger problem than his height! Good ground would be important to him though if it was soft and slow he might give up. He ran well first time out at Leicester but was very disappointing on Saturday. He ran no race but seems OK after it. He did collapse after his races at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse and that might have got to him and he might be thinking about it. We have had him checked out and he seems fine and we´ll have to give him another run before Aintree and I hope he´ll be OK. He´s weight would look OK too.

"Drombeag will probably struggle to get in while Bob Hall is a two-and-a-half-mile horse who jumps well and might get the trip. I think the race might suit him and he´ll go and take his chance."

Paul Nicholls (Mr Pointment 11st 8lb, Turko 11st 7lb, Opera Mundi 11st 3lb, Thisthatandtother 11st 2lb, Cornish Sett 10st 7lb, Royal Auclair 10st 7lb, Le Duc 10st 2lb, Sweet Diversion 9st 13lb):

"Mr Smith has not been kind to Mr Pointment. He´s a big, strong horse who jumps well and we decided after his first run for us we´d go for the Becher Chase. He was awesome that day.

"I´d prefer a bit less weight and maybe we shot ourselves in the foot by running in the Becher. I´m still getting to know the horse, so perhaps he´ll still prove to be well-handicapped.

"Turko has a lot of weight. He goes to Leopardstown on Sunday and if he runs well there, he could go.

"Royal Auclair is better handicapped on 10st 7lb. He´s a clever horse and has gone round there well before. Cornish Sett has had a breathing operation but is from a good type of family. He´s a bit of a character but could run into a place.

"Le Duc goes to Cheltenham for the cross country race before Aintree and hopefully we´ll get him there, while Thisthatandtother has just started back in a hunter chase and we just need to see how he goes for a while. He´s a possible. Opera Mundi would only go if it was soft."

David Pipe (Celestial Gold 11st 10lb, Madison Du Berlais 11st 6lb, Vodka Bleu 10st 13lb, Dom D´Orgeval 10st 11lb, Joaaci 10st 10lb, Over The Creek 10st 7lb,

Comply Or Die 10st 6lb, Milan Deux Mille 10st 6lb, Whispered Secret 10st, Not Left Yet 9st 10lb, Sixo 9st 5lb):

"We´ve got a few in the top 40 of the handicap. Celestial Gold was disappointing on his reappearance over hurdles the other day but will strip fitter next time. We will give him a run over fences next and we´ll have to see what ability he retains. He certainly seems well at home.

"Madison Du Berlais is only seven and Tom Scudamore thinks he would be suited by the National.

"Vodka Bleu is one of Timmy Murphy´s favourite horses and he also thinks the race will suit. He has jumped nicely in the Topham before.

"Dom D´Orgeval has been unlucky this year and we´ll see better from him, while Joaaci stays and jumps well.

"Over The Creek took a while to get the hang of fences but was placed in the Welsh National and has a nice racing weight."

Kim Bailey (Longshanks 10st 3lb):

"I spent several years trying to get my horse in the National and ended up running in the Topham. He has fragile legs, so whether we make it is touch and go. We may also not get in, but we´ll try to."

Peter Bowen (Iron Man 11st 2lb, McKelvey 10st 11lb, Always Waining 10st 7lb, Dunbrody Millar 10st 3lb, Ballycassidy 10st 1lb, Blue Splash, 10st 1lb, Lankawi 10st, Tommy Spar 10st, Take The Stand 9st 13lb, Irish Wolf 9st 11lb, Mr Ed 9st 1lb):

"You would have to happy with McKelvey´s weight as it´s not that much more than he carried last year. He´s in really good form and we had the leg checked on Monday and it´s fine. It´s a fair mark for Iron Man as he´s done his fair share of winning and when you win that many races, you pay the price. Always Waining´s weight should be fine but he´d wouldn´t be certain to get in. It would be a shame if he didn´t but he could go for the Topham instead. I wouldn´t have thought the others would get in off those weights which is a real shame for Ballycassidy, as he has run really well in the National twice now when something has happened that hasn´t been his fault."

Victor Dartnall (Sir Rembrandt 10st 10lb):

"He´s going to have a run at Newbury on March 1 in a veterans´ chase and all being well there, he will go to Aintree. I´m happy with his weight, that should be fine."

Francois Doumen (L´Ami 10st 12lb, Kelami 10st 6lb, Nitrat 9st 12lb):

"It is such a hard task - the most difficult race to train for. I was surprised Kelami fell last time as he was going quite well at the time. He´s fine now.

"L´Ami has been difficult to get to his right fitness but is coming progressively into shape and it has been the aim to have him in the race."

Eoin Doyle (No Full 10st 9lb):

"He´ll be guaranteed to get in which is good. When he was pulled up at Gowran last time the ground was desperate and I don´t think he likes racing right-handed so we´ll keep him the other way for now.

"We´ll aim him at the National but we´ll try to win another handicap chase in the meantime."

Tom George (Kilbeggan Blade 10st 4lb, Ballyfoy 9st 13lb and Toulouse Lautrec 8st 12lb):

"They obviously don´t give Kilbeggan Blade much of chance otherwise he would be higher up. He is the sort of horse, with a little quirk, that the National could bring out the best in him. He jumps, gallops and stays and would look like the ideal sort for the race. If he gets in it would definitely be the plan to go for the race, I really think Aintree could suit him. The other two won´t get in."

Jessica Harrington (Knight Legend 11st 4lb):

"I would have thought he would be lower than that. He´s rated 148 or 149, no more than that, so it seems a bit high. I have no idea if he´ll run at this stage."

Philip Hobbs (Monkerhostin 11st 7lb, Dream Alliance 11st 1lb, Parsons Legacy 10st 7lb, Boychuk 10st 4lb, Tom Sayers 10st 2lb, Captain Corelli 10st 1lb):

"Captain Corelli and Tom Sayers need a lot to come out. Monkerhostin stood off too far at the big ditch last year, which was unusual and I hope he won´t do that again.

"He´ll need to run at Cheltenham first and then we´ll decide what to do after that. Dream Alliance was beaten before he got to a fence in the Welsh National. He probably runs at Exeter on Sunday and is a possible, but might need another year.

"Parsons Legacy is probably the main one of our team. We will run him in the Kim Muir and see what happens, but he´s the right age and has the right weight."

Michael Hourigan (Beef Or Salmon 11st 12lb, Hi Cloy 11st 9lb):

"I really fancied Hi Cloy in the King George but he ran no sort of race. I thought he would be in the shake up but he was off the bridle after two furlongs. He has been better since then and won nicely the last day and will now take on Kicking King in the Red Mills on Saturday week. He´ll then go to Aintree after that.

"Beef Or Salmon is a runner as of now and is a wonderful horse. He has been a star to the stable and to me and has won 10 Grade One races. We´ll see how he runs on Sunday in the Hennessy but all the jockeys who have ridden him like Paul Carberry and Timmy Murphy say he feels like a National horse. I think he would love the challenge of a National - he stays well and would appreciate soft ground. I did expect he would have top weight."

Pat Hughes (Point Barrow 10st 10lb):

"I would be happy enough with that, it´s about the same as he carried last year. The plan is to run in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup Chase later this month and then go straight to the race from there. Hopefully he can have a bit more luck this year."

Malcolm Jefferson (Roman Ark 10st 11lb):

"Off that weight we would have to seriously consider going for it. I had been chatting to his owner before we knew the weights and we were considering the Topham for him this year and then going for the National the year after, but we will have to have a good look at it this year. We have always thought a lot of him and thought one day he could be a National horse, they always used to say a good two-and-a-half-miler was what you needed. His best form is on soft but I wouldn´t want too much cut as stamina really becomes an issue. I think we´ll have a real good look at it."

Howard Johnson (Bewleys Berry 10st 11lb, Backbeat 10st 6lb, Theatre Knight 10st 2lb, Royal Rosa 9st 7lb):

"I´m happy with Bewleys Berry´s weight, very pleased in fact. We´ll give him one more run and then go to Aintree nice and fresh. He´s in at Newbury on Saturday but I could go to the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster with him. Backbeat ran very well over hurdles the other day and he stays well so we´d be happy enough. I´d love it if Theatre Knight could get in off that weight but I´m not sure he will and Royal Rosa probably won´t."

Alan King (D´Argent 10st 9lb):

"We never really thought he was a Grand National horse but he has jumped much better since we put blinkers on.

"I need to persuade the owners to run, but it´s more than likely he will. He has a fair enough weight."

Charlie Mann (Nadover 10st 6lb):

"That´s a nice weight - I´d be happy enough with that. He´d be pretty unlucky not to get in off that weight. He´s runs a week on Thursday and has been prepared for this race."

Tony Martin (Patsy Hall 10st 7lb, Royal County Star 10st 7lb, Dun Doire 10st 4lb, Newbay Prop 10st 1lb, Wonderkid 8st 11lb):

"Patsy Hall was disappointing in the Hennessy but has had a few little problems and looks to be on a nice racing weight.

"Royal County Star´s main aim is the Irish National a few days before. The intention is to run there and see what happens.

"I was disappointed with Dun Doire the other day and whether he runs depends whether he gets in the weights really. The other two entries won´t get in."

Donald McCain (Cloudy Lane 10st 8lb, Idle Talk 10st 6lb, Bannister Lane 10st):

"I´d behappy with Cloudy Lane´s weight - when all´s said and done, getting them in the race is the most important thing and he should make it off that rating. It would be nice if Beef Or Salmon were to turn up as we would have a cracking weight then. Idle Talk´s weight gives him more of a chance than last year. He´s not certain to go but if we do decide to run, it seems a sensible rating. He ran a very nice race at Doncaster the other day, so no complaints. Bannister Lane might struggle to get in off that weight and he will go for what was the Eider at Newcastle. He will have other years."

Mick Meagher (Racing manager to owner Trevor Hemmings, Turpin Green 11st 10lb, Billyvoddan 11st 4lb):

"Turpin Green is up the top of the weights and that´s where we expected him to be. We knew he would be thereabouts. Billyvoddan would have run up to the level of his third in last year´s Ryanair Chase to have a chance off that weight. We will have to play it by ear and see what we run."

Tom Mullins (Chelsea Harbour 10st 13lb):

"At least he is under 11st I suppose and we´ll certainly have no trouble in getting a jockey at that weight. I´ll have to have a chat to the owner and we´ll have a good talk about it but he might never have that sort of weight again, you never know. Stamina isn´t an issue with him, we know he stays but the race is a long way off yet."

Willie Mullins (Hedgehunter 11st 9lb, Rule Supreme 9st 13lb, Snowy Morning 10st 12lb, Alexander Taipan 10st 11lb, Homer Wells 10st 5lb, Livingstonebramble 10st 2lb, Bothar Na 9st 12lb):

"As a trainer I am probably never happy with the weights!

"I know it is hard for Phil (Smith, handicapper) but Hedgehunter is now a 12-year-old who hasn´t won for three years and I thought he might have a bit less weight. But I am pleased to be able to take him back to Aintree and try again with him and hopefully he can pick up some place money.

"I thought Phil has done a nice job with Rule Supreme, who looks to be the lowest-rated Grade One winner in the race. Snow Morning has lovely potential but I do think he has enough weight. He is only a second-season novice and hasn´t completed over fences this year. I do think he is harshly treated given the record of second-season novices´ in the National."

Keith Reveley (Ungaro 11st 3lb):

"That´s a bit high. I must admit I expected somewhere around the 10st 12lb mark but I hadn´t really studied the ratings. He would definitely get in off that weight though. The decision on whether he runs will be up to Sir Robert (Ogden, owner) and Barry Simpson (racing manager). He´s a very clever horse and adapts well to things. He hopefully goes for the Racing Post Chase."

Charlie Swan (Foreman 11st 6lb):

"That is disappointing. He is 6lb below Beef Or Salmon, yet in a normal handicap he would be giving us well over 10lb. It looks as if he is on the downgrade as well. He is 10, he´s not getting any better so at this stage it is doubtful he´d go but there is only one National."

Tom Taaffe (Slim Pickings 11st, Tumbling Dice 10st 7lb, In The High Grass 10st 3lb, Merdeka 10st 2lb, Glenfinn Captain 10st):

"Slim Pickings is in great form and has had a couple of runs this season. He will next run at Leopardstown on March 2 in a two-mile-five-furlong chase. The handicapper has been has been fair and only has him 1lb higher than last year, and if he runs like that again you´d have to be hopeful. It was very encouraging that he ran so well there last year and the place really lit him up and he did jump well.

"Tumbling Dice is coming along nicely and ran well the other day. We feel it is time for him to take his chance in a race like this and he deserves to take his chance."

Joe Tizzard, jockey son of trainer Colin Tizzard (Joe Lively 11st4lb), Bob Bob Bobbin 10st 1lb):

"The Reynoldstown is the plan (for Joe Lively) and he will then run in the SunAlliance at Cheltenham. If he runs well there then we will go to the National and I would love to win it for Dad. The main plan is Cheltenham but Aintree is the target after that and I wouldn´t want to be on anything else.

"Bob Bob Bobbin had a wind operation after Christmas and he is only just back cantering."

Nigel Twiston-Davies (Knowhere 11st 8lb, Ollie Magern 11st 8lb, Fundamentalist 11st 1lb, Naunton Brook 10st 7lb, Patman Du Charmil 10st 5lb, Ardaghey 10st 4lb, Baron Windrush 10st 4lb, Irish Raptor 10st 1lb):

"I have backed Knowhere myself and also for me to train the winner of the Grand National this year. The best three of mine would be Fundamentalist, Ollie Magern and Knowhere.

"The vets have been very good with Fundamentalist. Paddy (Brennan) gets on well with him and he seems a different horse this season. Hopefully Knowhere will finish third in the Gold Cup, if Paul Nicholls lets me, and then we will look at the National."

Nick Williams (Philson Run 10st 5lb): "Philson Run has a nice racing weight, about the same as last year, and I think he´s a better horse this time around.

"It has been his target for 12 months and he´ll have his final run in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup on Saturday week."

Venetia Williams (Mon Mome 10st 8lb, Nirvana Du Bourg 10st 2lb, Flintoff 9st 11lb, Pass Me By 9st 10lb, The Outlier 9st 7lb): "Mon Mome is the obvious one of mine who looks like he´s got a shout of running.

"He´s not been out this year yet but we are hoping he´ll reappear some time in the next fortnight, maybe over hurdles.

"We were thinking about the National last year, but we left it for this time. He´s got a nice mark, and a nice little chance."