Minella Times faces daunting Grand National defence prospect as winner set to shoulder top weight at Aintree

Minella Times is due to carry top-weight in this Saturday’s Grand National after the latest declarations for the race were made.

Henry de Bromhead’s 2021 Aintree winner was famously partnered by Rachael Blackmore to victory and will bid to follow in the hoofprints of Tiger Roll and Red Rum by winning back-to-back renewals of the National Hunt showpiece.

Chris’s Dream, a stablemate of last year’s winner, was a notable absentee as Chatham Street Lad and the injured Highland Hunter were also scratched from the leading 40 entries for the contest.

Those absences will mean that Blaklion, who placed sixth in last year’s race, has now made the cut along with Poker Party.

Death Duty is officially next to get into the race but he shares the same weight as Domaine De L’Isle so the BHA may have to intervene with their official ratings in order to decide which horse will run if required,

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That scenario, while unfortunate, may be unlikely as the weather forecasts for this week in Liverpool have proved widely different among the various expert outlets.

Such forecasts will be particularly relevant to the punters that have followed the ante-post plunge on Éclair Surf as they sit desperately awaiting news of a run.

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