Jim Culloty, trainer of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere with his four Gold Cup trophies, three won with Best Mate.
Pic: Healy Racing / Racingfotos.com (Courtesy of Great British Racing).
By Simon Jackson.
The 2014 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere is amongst 98 entries revealed on Wednesday for the 168th running of the Grand National at Aintree on April 11.
Lord Windermere has been entered along with stablemate Spring Heeled by trainer Jim Culloty, who rode Bindaree to victory in the world’s greatest steeplechase in 2002.
As a jockey Culloty also won three Cheltenham Gold Cups on Best Mate between 2002 and 2004. Last year he joined an elite group of horsemen to have both ridden and trained Gold Cup winners when scoring with Lord Windermere.
Weights for the £1million Crabbie’s Grand National will be announced on February 17 by the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) head of handicapping, Phil Smith, at the Royal Opera House in London.
The number and high-quality of the entries, that includes last year’s winner Pineau De Re and Hennessy Gold Cup victor Many Clouds, has pleased John Baker, the regional director of the Jockey Club’s north west racecourses that includes Aintree.
“We are delighted with the 98 entries received for the 2015 Crabbie’s Grand National,” Baker said.
“It is another bumper entry with many great stories lying in wait. A Betfred Gold Cup winner and this season’s Hennessy winner, plus last year’s Crabbie’s Grand National hero and this season’s Becher Chase winner are all engaged.
“The leading jump trainers are well-represented which is terrific and, as ever, there is plenty of support from Ireland.
“We all now eagerly await Phil Smith’s verdict on February 17 when the weights are revealed.”
The Crabbie’s Grand National
Grade 3, £1,000,000 Total Prize Fund. 4.15pm, Aintree, Saturday, April 11, 2015. Four miles, three and a half furlongs.
| Horse | Age | Owner | Trainer |
| ACROSS THE BAY (IRE) | 11 | Scotch Piper Syndicate | Donald McCain |
| AL CO (FR) | 10 | Frank Lloyd | Peter Bowen |
| ALDERWOOD (IRE) | 11 | J P McManus | Thomas Mullins IRE |
| ALPHA VICTOR (IRE) | 10 | Denton, Kinsey, Osborne Hse, Wesley-Yates | William Kinsey |
| ALVARADO (IRE) | 10 | William & Angela Rucker | Fergal O’Brien |
| AMERICAN SPIN | 11 | George Collacott & R Gadd | Luke Dace |
| ANY CURRENCY (IRE) | 12 | Cash Is King | Martin Keighley |
| BACK IN FOCUS (IRE) | 10 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
| BAILEYS CONCERTO (IRE) | 9 | United Five Racing & Andrew Sayer | Dianne Sayer |
| BALLYCASEY (IRE) | 8 | Susannah Ricci | Willie Mullins IRE |
| BALLYOLIVER | 11 | Richard Britten-Long | Venetia Williams |
| BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) | 11 | The Brushmakers | Philip Hobbs |
| BENVOLIO (IRE) | 8 | Patricia Thompson | Paul Nicholls |
| BOB FORD (IRE) | 8 | The Bob Ford Partnership | Rebecca Curtis |
| BOSTON BOB (IRE) | 10 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
| BROADWAY BUFFALO (IRE) | 7 | Jo Tracey | David Pipe |
| BUDDY BOLERO (IRE) | 9 | Malcolm Denmark | Tony Martin IRE |
| BURTON PORT (IRE) | 11 | Trevor Hemmings | Jonjo O’Neill |
| CAPPA BLEU (IRE) | 13 | William & Angela Rucker | Evan Williams |
| CARLINGFORD LOUGH (IRE) | 9 | J P McManus | John Kiely IRE |
| CARLITO BRIGANTE (IRE) | 9 | 06 Zoo Ltd | Karen McLintock |
| CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) | 7 | J P McManus | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| CEDRE BLEU (FR) | 8 | Tangledupinblue | Charlie Mann |
| CHANCE DU ROY (FR) | 11 | Daphne Du Pre | Philip Hobbs |
| CORRIN WOOD (IRE) | 8 | Dermot Hanafin Robert Rose Ian Whitfield | Donald McCain |
| COURT BY SURPRISE (IRE) | 10 | Nick Mustoe | Emma Lavelle |
| DOLATULO (FR) | 8 | Chasemore Farm | Warren Greatrex |
| DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) | 9 | Options O Syndicate | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| DUKE OF LUCCA (IRE) | 10 | Lesley Field | Philip Hobbs |
| ELY BROWN (IRE) | 10 | Countrywide Vehicle Rentals Taxi Hire | Charlie Longsdon |
| FIRST LIEUTENANT (IRE) | 10 | Gigginstown House Stud | Mouse Morris IRE |
| GALLANT OSCAR (IRE) | 9 | Garrett Kelly | Tony Martin IRE |
| GAS LINE BOY (IRE) | 9 | Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club | Philip Hobbs |
| GLENQUEST (IRE) | 12 | Coolglen Syndicate | Stuart Crawford IRE |
| GODSMEJUDGE (IRE) | 9 | Favourites Racing | Alan King |
| GOONYELLA (IRE) | 8 | Ann & Alan Potts Partnership | Jim Dreaper IRE |
| GREEN FLAG (IRE) | 8 | John Adam | Lucinda Russell |
| GUESS AGAIN (IRE) | 10 | Malcolm Denmark | Tony Martin IRE |
| HADRIAN’S APPROACH (IRE) | 8 | Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes | Nicky Henderson |
| HARRY THE VIKING | 10 | Jim Beaumont, Douglas Pryde & Quona Thomson | Sandy Thomson |
| HOME FARM (IRE) | 8 | Chris Jones | Henry de Bromhead IRE |
| IKORODU ROAD | 12 | John Odell | Graeme McPherson |
| KATENKO (FR) | 9 | Andrew Brooks | Venetia Williams |
| KRUZHLININ (GER) | 8 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Donald McCain |
| LACKAMON | 10 | Sue Smith | Sue Smith |
| LIVING NEXT DOOR (IRE) | 9 | John Breslin | Tony Martin IRE |
| LOCH BA (IRE) | 9 | Peter Taplin, Susan Bunney & Partners | Mick Channon |
| LORD WINDERMERE (IRE) | 9 | Dr Ronan Lambe | Jim Culloty IRE |
| MAGGIO (FR) | 10 | Mike Deren | Patrick Griffin IRE |
| MAKE A TRACK (IRE) | 9 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| MANY CLOUDS (IRE) | 8 | Trevor Hemmings | Oliver Sherwood |
| MART LANE (IRE) | 10 | Geoff Thompson | Sophie Leech |
| MERRY KING (IRE) | 8 | Frank Gillespie | Jonjo O’Neill |
| MON PARRAIN (FR) | 9 | John & Barbara Cotton | Paul Nicholls |
| MONBEG DUDE (IRE) | 10 | Oydunow | Michael Scudamore |
| MOUNTAINOUS (IRE) | 10 | Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter | Richard Lee |
| MY MURPHY (IRE) | 9 | Hans Zindel | Liam Burke IRE |
| NEPTUNE EQUESTER | 12 | Jim Beaumont | Sandy Thomson |
| NIGHT IN MILAN (IRE) | 9 | Richard Collins | Keith Reveley |
| OSCAR TIME (IRE) | 14 | Robert Waley-Cohen | Robert Waley-Cohen |
| OWEGA STAR (IRE) | 8 | Anthony Callan/Siobhan Callan | Peter Fahey IRE |
| PINEAU DE RE (FR) | 12 | John Provan | Dr Richard Newland |
| POOLE MASTER | 10 | Geoff Thompson | David Pipe |
| PORTRAIT KING (IRE) | 10 | Marie Davis | Maurice Phelan IRE |
| PRINCE DE BEAUCHENE (FR) | 12 | Prince & Paupers Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
| QULINTON (FR) | 11 | Bob Whitby | Johnny Farrelly |
| RAJDHANI EXPRESS | 8 | Robert Waley-Cohen | Nicky Henderson |
| RAZ DE MAREE (FR) | 10 | James Swan | Sandra Hughes IRE |
| REBEL REBELLION (IRE) | 10 | Woodhouse, Sutton & Dobson | Paul Nicholls |
| RENARD (FR) | 10 | ROA Arkle Partnership | Venetia Williams |
| RIGADIN DE BEAUCHENE (FR) | 10 | Andrew Wiles | Venetia Williams |
| RIVER CHOICE (FR) | 12 | Fergus Wilson | Richard Chotard FR |
| ROCKY CREEK (IRE) | 9 | The Johnson & Stewart Families | Paul Nicholls |
| ROI DU MEE (FR) | 10 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| ROLLING ACES (IRE) | 9 | David Martin, Paul Barber & Ian Fogg | Paul Nicholls |
| ROSE OF THE MOON (IRE) | 10 | Middleham Park Racing XXXIII & Partners | David O’Meara |
| ROYALE KNIGHT | 9 | Chris Stedman & Robert Corsan | Dr Richard Newland |
| RUBI LIGHT (FR) | 10 | Bill Hennessy | Robert Hennessy IRE |
| SAINT ARE (FR) | 9 | David Fox | Tom George |
| SAM WINNER (FR) | 8 | Angela Yeoman | Paul Nicholls |
| SHOTGUN PADDY (IRE) | 8 | Axom (XXXVI) | Emma Lavelle |
| SHUTTHEFRONTDOOR (IRE) | 8 | J P McManus | Jonjo O’Neill |
| SOLL | 10 | Derrick Mossop | David Pipe |
| SPRING HEELED (IRE) | 8 | Dr Ronan Lambe | Jim Culloty IRE |
| STANDING OVATION (IRE) | 8 | The Bravo Partnership | David Pipe |
| SUNNYHILLBOY (IRE) | 12 | J P McManus | Jonjo O’Neill |
| SUPER DUTY (IRE) | 9 | Brannon, Dick, Hernon & Holden | Ian Williams |
| SYDNEY PAGET (IRE) | 8 | Roger O’Byrne | Donald McCain |
| TALES OF MILAN (IRE) | 8 | Phil Middleton | Phil Middleton |
| TEAFORTHREE (IRE) | 11 | Conyers, O’Reilly, Roddis, Zeffman | Rebecca Curtis |
| THE DRUIDS NEPHEW (IRE) | 8 | The Stonehenge Druids | Neil Mulholland |
| THE PACKAGE | 12 | The Johnson Family | David Pipe |
| THE RAINBOW HUNTER | 11 | May We Never Be Found Out Partnership | Kim Bailey |
| THEATRICAL STAR | 9 | Brocade Racing | Colin Tizzard |
| TRANQUIL SEA (IRE) | 13 | Jean & Clemmie Shipp | Warren Greatrex |
| UNIONISTE (FR) | 7 | John Hales | Paul Nicholls |
| VINTAGE STAR (IRE) | 9 | Trevor Hemmings | Sue Smith |
| WYCK HILL (IRE) | 11 | J P McManus | David Bridgwater |
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