Many Clouds top-weight at 11st 10lb in 2016 Crabbies’ Grand National

Other contenders with winning form over the Grand National fences include this season’s Becher Chase scorer Highland Lodge (10st 2lb, 40/1) and Triolo D’Alene (11st, 33/1) who collected the 2013 Crabbie’s Topham Chase.

38-strong Irish challenge

There are 38 Irish-trained horses entered, including last’s season’s RSA Chase hero Don Poli (11st 9lb, 25/1), Carlingford Lough (11st 7lb, 25/1), who recently won the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup for the second year in succession and Sir Des Champs (10st 13lb, 33/1) who was runner-up in the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Other contenders trained in Ireland include the 2015 Irish Grand National victor Thunder And Roses (10st 6lb, 33/1), 2014 Crabbie’s Grand National third Double Seven (10st 1lb, 33/1) and and Goonyella (10st 8lb, 25/1), who won last season’s Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter and finished runner-up in Ayr’s Coral Scottish Grand National.

Ted Walsh has two contenders with dual Grade 2 winner Foxrock (11st 3lb, 33/1) and Seabass (9st 12lb, 50/1), who was third in 2012.

Silviniaco Conti spearheads nine entries for Nicholls

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has more entries than any other, with nine engaged. These are headed by six-time Grade 1 victor Silviniaco Conti (11st 8lb, 25/1) and Just A Par (10st 6lb, 33/1), who triumphed in last season’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

There are two past winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup engaged with 2014 scorer Lord Windermere (11st 1lb, 50/1) and 2011 victor Long Run (10st 8lb, 33/1).

Other contenders prominent in Coral’s ante post market include Houblon Des Obeaux (11st 5lb, 33/1), who bounced back to form with a Grade 2 victory at Newbury on Saturday; Kruzhlinin (Philip Hobbs, 10st 7lb, 33/1), who finished 10th in 2014 and recorded an eye-catching victory at Kempton last month; and The Druids Nephew (11st, 25/1), who was leading the field when falling at Valentine’s on the second circuit last year.

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