By Simon Jackson

Trainer Rebecca Curtis is upbeat about the chances of Grand National favourite Teaforthree as 73 horses remain in contention to line up in the world’s greatest steeplechase.

Teaforthree heads the betting at 10-1 with Betfred for the four miles and three and a half furlongs contest on April 5, having finished third in the big race last year.

The 10-year-old has run three times since then, a second place in a Grade 2 at Ascot last month separating unplaced runs in the Coral Welsh Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“He is in great form and has come out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup really well,” Curtis said at yesterday’s Crabbie’s Grand National Northern Media Lunch at Aintree. “I don’t think he had too hard a race, being allowed to coast home up the hill.

“He has eaten everything up and being freshened up out in the field. We will be hopeful of a good run.

“He took to the Grand National fences last year. Maybe, with him being favourite, there is more pressure this year.

“Teaforthree likes the ground on the softer side of good. Everybody thinks he needs heavy ground but he doesn’t.”

The ground conditions at Aintree ahead of the three day meeting that commences on April 3 are currently good to soft, good in places on the Grand National Course and good, good to soft in places on the Mildmay course.

Andrew Tulloch, regional head of racing for Jockey Club Racecourses north west said: “We had a lot of frost and snow last winter but this one has been much better. The grass has started growing earlier and we have cut the course three times.

“We saved quite a bit of ground on the Grand National Course for Betfred Becher Chase Day in December as we raced on the outside of the course and it was the same on the Mildmay Course.

“We started dressing the Grand National fences with spruce about 10 days ago and this will continue up to the meeting. Welfare of horses and riders is the top priority.

“There are three great days of racing. We have four Grade 1 races on the Thursday, the Crabbie’s Topham Chase on the Friday and the Crabbie’s Grand National on the Saturday.

The Crabbie’s Grand National

Class 1, Grade 3, £1,000,000 Total Prize Fund. 4.15pm, Aintree, Saturday, April 5, 2014.

Form               Horse              Age/Weight                Owner            Trainer

1) 121-1532  TIDAL BAY (IRE)   13-11-10  Andrea & Graham Wylie   Paul Nicholls
2) 132-54U1  LONG RUN (FR)   9-11-09  Robert Waley-Cohen    Nicky Henderson
3) 13-606034 HUNT BALL (IRE)   9-11-07  Atlantic Equine     Nicky Henderson
4) -F21P20P  ROI DU MEE (FR)   9-11-06  Gigginstown House Stud   Gordon Elliott IRE
5) 301-1310  TRIOLO D’ALENE (FR) 7-11-06  Sandy & Caroline Orr    Nicky Henderson
6) 1113-22  ROCKY CREEK (IRE) 8-11-05  The Johnson & Stewart Families  Paul Nicholls
7) 211-F4430  KATENKO (FR)   8-11-04  Andrew Brooks     Venetia Williams
8) /F1115-U  BOG WARRIOR (IRE) 10-11-02 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
9) 2U11-11  MOSSEY JOE (IRE)  11-11-01  Barry Connell      Enda Bolger IRE
10) 45-F405P  QUITO DE LA ROQUE (FR) 10-11-01 Gigginstown House Stud  Colm Murphy IRE
11) 1U-03U0F COLBERT STATION (IRE) 10-11-00 J P McManus      Ted Walsh IRE
12) 22P52-U4 WALKON (FR)   9-11-00  McNeill Family      Alan King
13) 20P-1111 BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) 10-10-13 The Brushmakers     Philip Hobbs
14) P06-52P0 WAYWARD PRINCE 10-10-13  John & Mrs Hilary Parrott   Hilary Parrott
15) -4503112   MR MOONSHINE (IRE) 10-10-12 Douglas Pryde, Jim Beaumont & David van der Hoeven Sue Smith
16) 6203-020 TEAFORTHREE (IRE) 10-10-12  Conyers, O’Reilly, Roddis, Zeffman Rebecca Curtis
17) 10-501U  ACROSS THE BAY (IRE) 10-10-11 Scotch Piper Syndicate   Donald McCain
18) F111116  DOUBLE SEVEN (IRE) 8-10-11  J P McManus      Martin Brassil IRE
19) 2131-5PP GODSMEJUDGE (IRE) 8-10-11  Favourites Racing     Alan King
20) 11-1PRP  BATTLE GROUP   9-10-10  Jolly Boys Outing     Johnny Farrelly
21) 5-05103  BUCKERS BRIDGE (IRE) 8-10-10 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
22) 1/PP-5014 LION NA BEARNAI (IRE) 12-10-10 The Lock Syndicate    Tom Gibney IRE
23) 12-3004  PRINCE DE BEAUCHENE (FR) 11-10-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie  Willie Mullins IRE
24) 13P-3415 MONBEG DUDE (IRE) 9-10-09  Oydunow             Michael Scudamore
25) 2/5PU-01 SUNNYHILLBOY (IRE) 11-10-09 J P McManus      Jonjo O’Neill
26) 1/F0211-23 BIG SHU (IRE)  9-10-08  H Duffy/R J Robinson/Miss C M Woods   Peter Maher IRE
27) 2/-500P02 BURTON PORT (IRE) 10-10-08  Trevor Hemmings     Jonjo O’Neill
28) 0P/124-050 OUR FATHER (IRE) 8-10-08  The Ives & Johnson Families  David Pipe
29) 241-3315 MOUNTAINOUS (IRE) 9-10-07  Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter Richard Lee
30) 4UP-261  THE RAINBOW HUNTER 10-10-07 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership Kim Bailey
31) 2P-1262F VINTAGE STAR (IRE) 8-10-07  Trevor Hemmings     Sue Smith
32) 0400-1P4 CHANCE DU ROY (FR) 10-10-06  Miss I D Du Pre     Philip Hobbs
33) 12P-426  HAWKES POINT   9-10-06  Graham Roach     Paul Nicholls
34) 2-441103 KRUZHLININ (GER) 7-10-06 Paul & Clare Rooney    Donald McCain
35) 35F2013  PINEAU DE RE (FR) 11-10-06  J A Provan             Dr Richard Newland
36) 1R03/3-U1 GOLAN WAY   10-10-05  W R B Racing 58     Tim Vaughan
37) 125010U TWIRLING MAGNET (IRE) 8-10-05 Gay Smith      Jonjo O’Neill
38) 302-FU0  VESPER BELL (IRE) 8-10-05  Susannah Ricci     Willie Mullins IRE
39) 612-00P5 SAME DIFFERENCE (IRE) 8-10-04 Mrs R Vaughan         Nigel Twiston-Davies
40) 5/4/14PP-3 THE PACKAGE   11-10-04  The Johnson Family     David Pipe
41) 15211-P0P3 RAZ DE MAREE (FR) 9-10-03  Dessie Hughes            Dessie Hughes IRE
42)114P-01 ROSE OF THE MOON (IRE) 9-10-03  Middleham Park Racing XXXIII & Partners David O’Meara
43) /11220/-6P0 SHAKALAKABOOMBOOM (IRE) 10-10-03 Liam Breslin    Nicky Henderson
44) 6R3-51P  ALVARADO (IRE)   9-10-02  William & Angela Rucker   Fergal O’Brien
45) 51433-00 LAST TIME D’ALBAIN (FR) 10-10-02 Fontstown Syndicate    Liam Cusack IRE
46) 1P-130PP LOST GLORY (NZ)  9-10-02  J P McManus      Jonjo O’Neill
47) 23-F3P465 ONE IN A MILAN (IRE) 9-10-02 Paul Langford      Evan Williams
48) P1-2502  GOONYELLA (IRE)  7-10-01  Ann & Alan Potts Partnership     Jim Drear IRE
49) 1162-0P1 GOULANES (IRE)   8-10-01  Roger Brookhouse     David Pipe
50) 14406-50 SWING BILL (FR)  13-10-01  Halewood International Ltd   David Pipe
51) B/0010-5405 SOLL     9-10-00  Derrick Mossop     Jo Hughes
52) 121114  MINELLA FOR VALUE (IRE) 8-9-13 Maxilead Limited     John Butler
53) 1-2301P1 NIGHT IN MILAN (IRE) 8-9-13   Richard Collins     Keith Reveley
54) 3000-04P SAINT ARE (FR)   8-9-13   David Fox       Tim Vaughan
55) 22/0-P50P OUT NOW (IRE)   10-9-12  Dermot Cox/Nelius Hayes    Edward O’Grady IRE
56) 2-50231P TRANQUIL SEA (IRE) 12-9-12  No Dramas Partnership 1   Warren Greatrex
57) 13/304-40 ALFIE SHERRIN   11-9-11  J P McManus      Jonjo O’Neill
58) 1P0-3326 COURT BY SURPRISE (IRE) 9-9-11 Nick Mustoe      Emma Lavelle
59) 2B6-P51P THERE’S NO PANIC (IRE) 9-9-11  The Stewart Family    Paul Nicholls
60) 6050F-030 QUISCOVER FONTAINE (FR) 10-9-10 J P McManus     Enda Bolger IRE
61) F1111006 STANDING OVATION (IRE) 7-9-10 The Bravo Partnership   David Pipe
62) 03-00P16 WYCK HILL (IRE)   10-9-10 J P McManus      David Bridgwater
63) -3341201 BAILE ANRAI (IRE)  10-9-09 Massive       Dan Skelton
64) 2110F0 GULLIBLE GORDON (IRE) 11-9-09 Karen Bowen      Peter Bowen
65) PP/4-P050 QUINZ (FR)     10-9-09 Andrew Cohen     Philip Hobbs
66) 0-P53252 ANY CURRENCY (IRE)  11-9-06 Cash Is King      Martin Keighley
67) 6-5U024P SIR DU BEARN (FR)  8-9-06  Mickey Bowen      Peter Bowen
68) F-0465430 SOLIX (FR)     8-9-06  Paul Vogt       Ian Williams
69) 3313F652 STORM SURVIVOR (IRE) 8-9-06  J P McManus      Jonjo O’Neill
70) 013444  VICTRIX GALE (IRE)  8-9-06  Badgers Syndicate     Tony Martin IRE
71) 004-26P35 TOUR DES CHAMPS (FR) 7-9-04  Raymond Mould         Nigel Twiston-Davies
72) 4-22112F MERLIN’S WISH    9-9-02  Miss R Toppin      Martin Keighley
73) 1213003  SERGEANT PINK (IRE)  8-8-11  Andrew Sayer      Dianne Sayer 

73 entries remain after March 18 scratching deadline

Crabbie’s Grand National – Betfred bet: 10 Teaforthree, 16 Tidal Bay, 20 Long Run, Monbeg Dude, Triolo d’Alene, 25 Colbert Station, Godsmejudge, Rocky Creek, 33 Alfie Sherrin, Alvarado, Balthazar King, Battle Group, Big Shu, Burton Port, Chance Du Roy, Double Seven, Hawkes Point, Katenko, Mossey Joe, Pineau De Re, Prince De Beauchene, Same Difference, Shakalakaboomboom, Sunnyhillboy, The Rainbow Hunter, Wyck Hill,  40 Across The Bay, Goulanes, Lion Na Bearnai, Mountainous, Mr Moonshine, Night In Milan, Our Father, Raz De Maree, Rose Of The Moon, Soll, Standing Ovation, There’s No Panic, Vintage Star, 50 Baile Anrai, Bog Warrior, Buckers Bridge, Court By Surprise, Golan Way, Goonyella, Kruzhlinin, Last Time d’Albain, Out Now, Roi Du Mee, The Package, Tranquil Sea, Twirling Magnet, Vesper Bell, Victrix Gale, Walkon, Wayward Prince, 66 Gullible Gordon, Hunt Ball, Lost Glory, Minella For Value, One In A Milan, Quinz, Quiscover Fontaine, Quito De La Roque, Saint Are, Sir Du Bearn, Solix, Storm Survivor, Swing Bill, Tour Des Champs, 100 Any Currency, Merlin’s Wish, 200 Sergeant Pink.

Each way ¼ 1-2-3-4

Read Horse Talk with Simon Jackson each day at London24 for the latest horse racing news.