Horse Talk with Simon Jackson:

Top horse racing tips and the latest news. 

IRISH-trained horses continue to dominate the entries numerically for the 2023 Randox Grand National after 16 horses were scratched at the latest acceptance stage.

At total of 57 entries remain for this year’s running of the world’s greatest steeplechase that includes 39 runners trained in Ireland. Twenty-nine of these are already guaranteed a start in the maximum permitted field of 40 who face the starter at 5.15pm at Aintree on April 15.

Three-time Grand National winner Gordon Elliott has the largest number of entries at 13, despite scratching five horses at the penultimate acceptance stage on Tuesday.

Elliott first won the National in 2007 with Silver Birch before securing back-to-back victories with the peoples’ favourite, Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019.

Meanwhile, Willie Mullins fields six runners as he bids to follow up on yet another tremendously successful Cheltenham Festival by winning the National.

Mullins won the Grand National in 2005 with Hedgehunter. His chances this year appear to be headed by National Hunt Chase winner Gaillard Du Mesnil.

The last confirmations stage for the National will be on Monday, April 10, with declarations for the final field made on April 13.

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase

Four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards

Aintree April 15

(Name / Age / Weight / Owner / Trainer)

1 Any Second Now (IRE) 11-11-12 Mr JP McManus Ted Walsh IRE
2 Noble Yeats (IRE) 8-11-11 Mr Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins IRE
3 Galvin (IRE) 9-11-11 Mr RA Bartlett Gordon Elliott IRE
4 Royale Pagaille (FR) 9-11-8 Mrs S Ricci Venetia Williams
5 Envoi Allen (FR) 9-11-8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
6 Fury Road (IRE) 9-11-6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
7 The Big Dog (IRE) 10-11-5 Damien J Kelly/Colin Kelly Peter Fahey IRE
8 Capodanno (FR) 7-11-5 Mr JP McManus Willie Mullins IRE
9 Delta Work (FR) 10-11-4 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
10 Sam Brown (GB) 11-11-4 Mr TC Frost Anthony Honeyball
11 Lifetime Ambition (IRE) 8-11-3 Linda Mulcahy/Mary Wolridge Jessica Harrington IRE
12 Carefully Selected (IRE) 11-11-1 Miss MA Masterson Willie Mullins IRE
13 Coko Beach (FR) 8-11-0 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
14 Longhouse Poet (IRE) 9-11-0 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil IRE
15 Gaillard du Mesnil (FR) 7-11-0 Mrs J Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
16 Darasso (FR) 10-10-13 Mr JP McManus Joseph O’Brien IRE
17 Le Milos (GB) 8-10-11 The Jolly Good Partnership Dan Skelton
18 The Shunter (IRE) 10-10-11 Mr JP McManus Emmet Mullins IRE
19 Quick Wave (FR) 10-10-11 Ms Sharon Kinsella Venetia Williams
20 Escaria Ten (FR) 9-10-10 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott IRE
21 The Big Breakaway (IRE) 8-10-10 Eric Jones, Geoff Nicholas, John Romans Joe Tizzard
22 Cape Gentleman (IRE) 7-10-8 Mr Pierre Manigault John Hanlon IRE
23 Roi Mage (FR) 11-10-8 Pryde/Van Der Hoeven/McGladery/Beaumont Patrick Griffin IRE
24 Diol Ker (FR) 9-10-8 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
25 A Wave of The Sea (IRE) 7-10-6 Mr JP McManus Joseph O’Brien IRE
26 Minella Trump (IRE) 9-10-6 Mr TG Leslie Donald McCain
27 Vanillier (FR) 8-10-6 Mrs HM Keaveney Gavin Cromwell IRE
28 Velvet Elvis (IRE) 7-10-6 Mr D Kierans Tom Gibney IRE
29 Ain’t That A Shame (IRE) 9-10-5 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
30 Corach Rambler (IRE) 9-10-5 The Ramblers Lucinda Russell
31 Enjoy d’Allen (FR) 9-10-5 Mr JP McManus Ciaran Murphy IRE
32 Mr Incredible (IRE) 7-10-4 Mr P Byrne Willie Mullins IRE
33 Gin On Lime (FR) 7-10-4 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
34 Mister Coffey (FR) 8-10-4 Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford Nicky Henderson
35 Cloudy Glen (IRE) 10-10-4 Exors of the late Mr Trevor Hemmings Venetia Williams
36 Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 10-10-4 Pioneer Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
37 Hill Sixteen (GB) 10-10-2 J Fyffe & S Townshend Sandy Thomson
38 Gabbys Cross (IRE) 8-10-2 Mr RS Brookhouse Henry de Bromhead IRE
39 Recite A Prayer (IRE) 8-10-1 The Turner Family Willie Mullins IRE
40 Eva’s Oskar (IRE) 9-10-1 Sally & Richard Prince Tim Vaughan
41 Our Power (IRE) 8-10-0 Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group Sam Thomas
42 Dunboyne (IRE) 8-10-0 SP O’Connor Gordon Elliott IRE
43 Francky du Berlais (FR) 10-10-0 Mr Roddy Owen Peter Bowen
44 Fortescue (GB) 9-9-13 Mrs L Nixon Henry Daly
45 Back On The Lash (GB) 9-9-13 Maughan, Redknapp, Ryan, Salters Martin Keighley
46 Defi Bleu (FR) 10-9-12 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
47 Gevrey (FR) 7-9-10 Denis Gallagher Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
48 Milan Native (IRE) 10-9-10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
49 Punitive (IRE) 9-9-10 Pioneer Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
50 Born By The Sea (IRE) 9-9-10 Natalie Gilligan Paul Gilligan IRE
51 Fakiera (FR) 8-9-8 Mr T O’Driscoll Gordon Elliott IRE
52 Darrens Hope (IRE) 9-9-8 Robert Murphy Robert Murphy IRE
53 Mortal (IRE) 11-9-8 Mr A Dunlop Gordon Elliott IRE
54 Captain Kangaroo (IRE) 8-9-8 Kanga Racing & Brett Graham Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
55 Captain Cattistock (GB) 10-9-5 Mr Nic Brereton Fergal O’Brien
56 Secret Reprieve (IRE) 9-9-5 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan William
57 Fantastikas (FR) 8-9-5 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Nigel Twiston-Davies

57 entries (39 Irish-trained)

The following 16 horses have been scratched:Ashtown Lad (IRE), Chris’s Dream (IRE), Cilaos Emery (FR), Conflated (IRE), Death Duty (IRE). Farclas (FR), Franco de Port (FR), Ga Law (FR), Glamorgan Duke (IRE), Happygolucky (IRE), Hewick (IRE), Lord Lariat (IRE), Pencilfulloflead (IRE), Rapper, Remastered, Threeunderthrufive (IRE)

Read ‘Horse Talk with Simon Jackson’ for top horse racing tips and the latest news.