Gordon Elliott to aim 'eight or ten' at Grand National but last year's first-fence faller Galvin 'looks well in' and could be the pick

Gordon Elliott revealed plans to have "eight or ten runners" in the Randox Grand National when the weights were revealed on Tuesday but highlighted a horse who exited at the first last year as potentially his best chance of glory.

The trainer made a record 26 original entries for the Aintree showpiece, in which he will bid to match George Dockeray, Fred Rimell and Ginger McCain by landing a fourth victory on April 13.

Eight of Elliott's 23 who are qualified made the top 34 in the initial handicap for a race whose safety limit has been reduced from 40 this year, from Conflated (11st 9lb) down to Fury Road (10st 9lb) and the trainer nominated Galvin, who unseated Davy Russell at the first fence last year, as potentially his best hope of emulating the stable's past winners Silver Birch (2007) and Tiger Roll (2018 and 2019). 

“We’ve got a great bunch of horses," the trainer said. “It’s the greatest race in the world, if you’re not in you can’t win and we’ll probably end up running eight or ten horses.

Galvin will race off a mark 3lb lower at Aintree this year and Elliott added: “I think Galvin looks well in. He’s below 11st. He went at the first last year but he’s only been trained with two races in mind this season, the cross-country race at Cheltenham and the English Grand National. I like him with 10st 12lb."

Galvin: "I like him with 10st 12lb," says Gordon ElliottCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Dual Cheltenham Cross Country Chase winner Delta Work is among the stablemates likely to join him, with Elliott saying: “Delta Work has been around a couple of times, he’s not getting any younger but he’s coming down in the weights. He has loads of experience.

Picking out some of his other entries, he added: “We’ve been waiting for nice ground for Chemical Energy. The Grand National has been the plan all year. If the ground was nice he could have a massive chance. Coko Beach would have a great chance if it was soft."

Corach Rambler will race off a weight 4lb higher than when winning by just over two lengths for Lucinda Russell last year, after being handed 11st 2lb.

Russell, attempting to win the race for the third time in seven years, said: “It’s more than he carried last year but I was hoping he’d get around 11st, so 11st 2lb is ideal. I just really hope Shark Hanlon runs Hewick.

"His prep is going fine, at the moment he looks super. It seems a bit of an odd thing to run him in the Gold Cup and we have entered him in the Ultima too but he’d be carrying a lot of weight in that. He’s a stayer, he loves it round Cheltenham and we’ll take our chance.”

Hanlon is not fazed by top weight of 11st 12lb for King George VI Chase winner Hewick, who will run in the Gold Cup before Aintree.

Hewick: "We always said he'd be a National horse," says Shark HanlonCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "He's only a small horse but he doesn't mind carrying the weight. I knew he’d have top weight. You have to expect that and he probably deserves it. I think the trip will suit him. He’s going for the Gold Cup first and please God he comes out of it safe. If he does he’ll definitely head there.

“We always said he’d be a National horse and there’s a month between the Gold Cup and the National this year so I think it’s a big opportunity for him.

“The most important thing is he gets good ground. With fewer runners in the race this year there won’t be quite as much weight between us and the horses at the bottom. In previous years the difference could be a fair bit more and we’d be giving more away."

Coral Gold Cup third Monbeg Genius, owned by Doug Barrowman and Baroness Michelle Mone, has 10st 4lb to carry and will warm up in the Premier Chase at Kelso next month.

“I worked him this morning and he went lovely," said trainer Jonjo O'Neill. "We’re all set for Kelso. It’s a nice prep race and the right timing. 

"He’s had a few mishaps, nothing serious, but he’s in grand form now. He’s a good jumper normally and he stays well but whether he has enough class for the race – it’s a classier race now – that would be a bit of a doubt if it came down to the last half-mile.”

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (4.00 Aintree, April 13)

William Hill: 12 Vanillier, 14 Corach Rambler, Mahler Mission, Noble Yeats, Panda Boy, 16 Minella Indo, Monbeg Genius, 20 Kitty's Light, 25 Ain't That A Shame, Capodanno, Delta Work, Galvin, I Am Maximus, Latenightpass, Nassalam, 33 bar

Now read these...

The Grand National has a new favourite in places as handicap weights are revealed 

'He’s a handicapper’s nightmare' - Martin Greenwood's verdict on the Grand National weights 

'We just want the best horses in the race' - Aintree says Monbeg Genius ownership concerns are issues for BHA 

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more