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

| 16.02.2016
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

David Metcalf | February 16, 2016

Many Clouds will have to carry top-weight of 11st 10lb, compared to 11st 9lb to in 2015, as he bids to become the first horse to win back-to-back renewals of the Crabbie’s Grand National since all-time great Red Rum in 1973 and 1974.

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The Oliver Sherwood nine-year-old, who is owned by Trevor Hemmings, is the 12/1 clear favourite with Coral after weights for the world’s greatest steeplechase at Aintree on Saturday, April 9th, were revealed today at a glamorous lunch in the heart of London.

By far the richest chase outside of Japan, the Grand National has a total prize fund of £1m. It is staged over four 4m and 770 yards and will be run for 169th time in 2016, with a new start time of 17:15 GMT.

Five of the first six horses home in 2015 are among the 126 entries – runner-up Saint Are (10st 5lb, 25/1 with Coral), fourth Alvarado (10st 2lb, 33/1), fifth Shutthefrontdoor (10st 11lb, 25/1) and sixth Royale Knight (10st 1lb, 33/1).

Previous winner Pineau De Re 40/1 for more glory

In addition to Many Clouds, there is another horse attempting to win a second Crabbie’s Grand National in the shape of the Dr Richard Newland trained Pineau De Re (10st 2lb, 40/1), who was victorious in 2014 under 10st 6lb.

Aintree Saturday

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

SILVINIACO CONTI at Haydock 21-11-15.

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.

Related

Check out our Grand National section for more on this awesome Aintree race and Festival.

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Author

David Metcalf

A lifelong Manchester United supporter, David has over 25 years’ experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a huge horse racing, football and greyhound fan and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR front man for a betting firm. David has also written for most of the top Premier League football fan websites, and produced a Cheltenham Festival guide with former eight-times champion national hunt jockey Peter Scudamore, MBE, after helping him to set up a syndicate for his trainer son Michael.