Don’t Push It heads the entries for this year’s Grand National after Northern Alliance, Roll Along and Our Monty were all ruled out of a trip to Aintree on Saturday.
Last year’s winner will carry 11st12lb in the four-mile marathon as forty horses were declared for the world’s most prestigious steeplechase .
The eleven-year-old famously gave jockey Tony McCoy his first victory in the race but things will be tougher this year and ante post favourite The Midnight Club will be just one horse fancied to get the better of the reigning champion.
Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh’s great National hope was confirmed for Saturday, along with Paul Nicholls’ well fancied Gold Cup fourth What A Friend and the highly regarded Backstage, Silver By Nature, Ballabriggs and Big Fella Thanks.
Northern Alliance, Roll Along and Our Monty were the only horses withdrawn from the race meaning that Royal Rosa, Skippers Brig and Golden Kite are all certain to line up at the weekend.
Always Waining, Faasel, Le Beau Bai and Giles Cross are the horse in reserve just in case any of the 40 confirmed runners defect before 9am on Friday morning.
2011 Aintree Grand National field
1 Don't Push It (IRE) Jonjo O'Neill 11st 10lb
2 Tidal Bay (IRE) Howard Johnson 11st 9lb
3 Vic Venturi (IRE) D. T. Hughes, Ireland 11 11st 6lb
4 What A Friend Paul Nicholls 11st 6lb
5 Majestic Concorde (IRE) D. K. Weld, Ireland 11st 5lb
6 Or Noir de Somoza (FR) David Pipe 11st 5lb
7 Dooneys Gate (IRE) W. P. Mullins, Ireland 11st 4lb
8 Big Fella Thanks Ferdy Murphy 11st 1lb 9
9 Ballabriggs (IRE) Donald McCain 11st 0lb 10
10 The Tother One (IRE) Paul Nicholls 11st 0lb
11 Niche Market (IRE) Paul Nicholls 10st 13lb
12 The Midnight Club (IRE) W. P. Mullins, Ireland 10st 13lb
13 Backstage (FR) Gordon Elliott, Ireland 10st 12lb
14 Chief Dan George (IRE) James Moffatt 10st 12lb
15 Silver By Nature Lucinda Russell 10st 12lb
16 Calgary Bay (IRE) Henrietta Knight 10st 10lb
17 Killyglen (IRE) Stuart Crawford, Ireland 10st 10lb
18 Oscar Time (IRE) M. M. Lynch, Ireland 10st 9lb
19 Becauseicouldntsee (IRE) Noel Glynn, Ireland 10st 8lb
20 Comply Or Die (IRE) David Pipe 10st 8lb
21 Quinz (FR) Philip Hobbs 10st 8lb
22 Quolibet (FR) Jonjo O'Neill 10st 8lb
23 Grand Slam Hero (IRE) Nigel Twiston-Davies 10st 7lb
24 King Fontaine (IRE) Malcolm Jefferson 10st 6lb
25 State of Play Evan Williams 10st 6lb
26 Hello Bud (IRE) Nigel Twiston-Davies 10st 5lb
27 In Compliance (IRE) D. T. Hughes, Ireland 10st 5lb
28 Santa's Son (IRE) Howard Johnson 10st 5lb
29 West End Rocker (IRE) Alan King10st 5lb
30 Bluesea Cracker (IRE) James Motherway, Ireland 10st 4lb
31 Can't Buy Time (IRE) Jonjo O'Neill 10st 4lb
32 Character Building (IRE) John Quinn 10st 4lb
33 Ornais (FR) Paul Nicholls 10st 4lb
34 Piraya (FR) David Pipe 10st 4lb
35 Surface To Air Chris Bealby 10st 4lb
36 That's Rhythm (FR) Martin Todhunter 10st 4lb
37 Arbor Supreme (IRE) W. P. Mullins, Ireland 10st 3lb
38 Royal Rosa (FR) Howard Johnson 10st 3lb
39 Skippers Brig (IRE) Nicky Richards 10st 2lb
40 Golden Kite (IRE) Adrian Maguire, Ireland 10st 2lb
