The well-fancied Mr Pointment must carry 11st 8lb for the Grand National at Aintree on 5 April, in which 40 could run from 150 entries.
The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old won the Becher Chase over the National fences last November. The new ante-post favourite is the Willie Mullins charge Snowy Morning who will carry 10st 12lb and is generally around 10-1 with bet365.
Beef Or Salmon, a 10-time Grade One winner, heads the weights on 11st 12lb. Next are the David Pipe-trained Celestial Gold and Nicky Richards' Turpin Green who are both on 11st 10lb.
The 2007 runner-up McKelvey is among 150 entries for this year's race and a joint-record 38 hopefuls are from Ireland, while 11 entries each are from Pipe and Peter Bowen.
Welsh trainer Bowen hopes to again saddle McKelvey, who was just beaten by Silver Birch in last year's race. A maximum of 40 runners will line up for the contest, with injury ruling out the last two winners - Silver Birch and Numbersixvalverde.
Pipe, whose father Martin trained the 1994 winner Miinnehoma, has Celestial Gold, Madison du Berlais and Vodka Bleu among his contenders.
The 2005 winner Hedgehunter, who was runner-up the following year, is one of seven entries for Irish trainer Mullins.
Nicholls, who has yet to win the Aintree marathon, has opted against running Star de Mohaison but may consider running him in 2009.
As well as McKelvey, last year's other placed horses, Slim Pickings and Philson Run, could have another crack.
Bewleys Berry and Simon, who were both going well before falling last year, may try again.
Top novice Joe Lively has been given the Aintree option by Colin Tizzard.
John Smiths Grand National, Aintree, 5 April
BEEF OR SALMON (IRE) 12-11-12 Michael Hourigan IRE
CELESTIAL GOLD (IRE) 10-11-10 David Pipe
TURPIN GREEN (IRE) 9-11-10 Nicky Richards
HEDGEHUNTER (IRE) 12-11-09 Willie Mullins IRE
HI CLOY (IRE) 11-11-09 Michael Hourigan IRE
KNOWHERE (IRE) 10-11-08 Nigel Twiston-Davies
MR POINTMENT (IRE) 9-11-08 Paul Nicholls
OLLIE MAGERN 10-11-08 Nigel Twiston-Davies
FORGET THE PAST 10-11-07 Michael O'Brien IRE
MONKERHOSTIN (FR) 11-11-07 Philip Hobbs
TURKO (FR) 6-11-07 Paul Nicholls
FOREMAN (GER) 10-11-06 Charlie Swan IRE
MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 7-11-06 David Pipe
RULE SUPREME (IRE) 12-11-05 Willie Mullins IRE;
BILLYVODDAN (IRE) 9-11-04 Henry Daly;
JOE LIVELY (IRE) 9-11-04 Colin Tizzard;
KNIGHT LEGEND (IRE) 9-11-04 Jessica Harrington IRE;
SIMON 9-11-04 John Spearing.
OPERA MUNDI (FR) 6-11-03 Paul Nicholls;
UNGARO (FR) 9-11-03 Keith Reveley;
IRON MAN (FR) 7-11-02 Peter Bowen;
THISTHATANDTOTHER (IRE) 12-11-02 Paul Nicholls;
DREAM ALLIANCE 7-11-01 Philip Hobbs;
FUNDAMENTALIST (IRE) 10-11-01 Nigel Twiston-Davies;
BUTLER'S CABIN (FR) 8-11-00 Jonjo O'Neill;
SLIM PICKINGS (IRE) 9-11-00 Tom Taaffe IRE.
CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) 8-10-13 Tom Mullins IRE;
VODKA BLEU (FR) 9-10-13 David Pipe;
L'AMI (FR) 9-10-12 Francois Doumen;
SNOWY MORNING (IRE) 8-10-12 Willie Mullins;
ALEXANDER TAIPAN (IRE) 8-10-11 Willie Mullins;
BEWLEYS BERRY (IRE) 10-10-11 Howard Johnson;
CONTRABAND 10-10-11 Paul Murphy;
DOM D'ORGEVAL (FR) 8-10-11 David Pipe;
MCKELVEY (IRE) 9-10-11 Peter Bowen;
ROMAN ARK 10-10-11 Malcolm Jefferson;
JOAACI (IRE) 8-10-10 David Pipe;
POINT BARROW (IRE) 10-10-10 Patrick Hughes;
SIR REMBRANDT (IRE) 12-10-10 Victor Dartnall;
CORNISH REBEL (IRE) 11-10-09 Lisa Williamson;
D'ARGENT (IRE) 11-10-09 Alan King;
NO FULL (FR) 7-10-09 Eoin Doyle IRE.
BAILY BREEZE (IRE) 9-10-08 Mouse Morris IRE;
BOB HALL (IRE) 7-10-08 Jonjo O'Neill
CLOUDY LANE 8-10-08 Donald McCain Jnr
KING JOHNS CASTLE (IRE) 9-10-08 Arthur Moore IRE;
MON MOME (FR) 8-10-08 Venetia Williams;
NINE DE SIVOLA (FR) 7-10-08 Ferdy Murphy;
ALWAYS WAINING (IRE) 7-10-07 Peter Bowen;
CORNISH SETT (IRE) 9-10-07 Paul Nicholls;
NAUNTON BROOK 9-10-07 Nigel Twiston-Davies;
OVER THE CREEK 9-10-07 David Pipe;
PARSONS LEGACY (IRE) 10-10-07 Philip Hobbs;
PATSY HALL (IRE) 8-10-07 Tony Martin IRE;
ROYAL AUCLAIR (FR) 11-10-07 Paul Nicholls;
ROYAL COUNTY STAR (IRE) 9-10-07 Tony Martin IRE;
TUMBLING DICE (IRE) 9-10-07 Tom Taaffe IRE;
BACKBEAT (IRE) 11-10-06 Howard Johnson;
COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) 9-10-06 David Pipe;
IDLE TALK (IRE) 9-10-06 Donald McCain Jnr;
KELAMI (FR) 10-10-06 Francois Doumen FR;
MILAN DEUX MILLE (FR) 6-10-06 David Pipe;
NADOVER (FR) 7-10-06 Charlie Mann;
BLACK APALACHI (IRE) 9-10-05 Dessie Hughes IRE
CHARACTER BUILDING (IRE) 8-10-05 John Quinn
HOMER WELLS (IRE) 10-10-05 Willie Mullins IRE
PATMAN DU CHARMIL (FR) 6-10-05 Nigel Twiston-Davies
PHILSON RUN (IRE) 12-10-05 Nick Williams
URSUMMAN (IRE) 9-10-05 Niall Madden IRE
ARDAGHEY (IRE) 9-10-04 Nigel Twiston-Davies
BARON WINDRUSH 10-10-04 Nigel Twiston-Davies
BOYCHUK (IRE) 7-10-04 Philip Hobbs
DUN DOIRE (IRE) 9-10-04 Tony Martin IRE
JOES EDGE (IRE) 11-10-04 Ferdy Murphy
KILBEGGAN BLADE 9-10-04 Tom George
COOL RUNNING (IRE) 8-10-03 Christy Roche IRE
DROMBEAG (IRE) 10-10-03 Jonjo O'Neill
DUNBRODY MILLAR (IRE) 10-10-03 Peter Bowen
IN THE HIGH GRASS (IRE) 7-10-03 Tom Taaffe IRE
LONGSHANKS 11-10-03 Kim Bailey
OSSMOSES (IRE) 11-10-03 Don Forster
LE DUC (FR) 9-10-02 Paul Nicholls;
LIVINGSTONEBRAMBLE (IRE) 12-10-02 Willie Mullins IRE
MERDEKA (IRE) 8-10-02 Tom Taaffe IRE
NIRVANA DU BOURG (FR) 7-10-02 Venetia Williams
PAK JACK (FR) 8-10-02 Richard Phillips
THEATRE KNIGHT (IRE) 10-10-02 Howard Johnson
TOM SAYERS (IRE) 10-10-02 Philip Hobbs
BALLYCASSIDY (IRE) 12-10-01 Peter Bowen
BLUE SPLASH (FR) 8-10-01 Peter Bowen
BOB BOB BOBBIN 9-10-01 Colin Tizzard
CAPTAIN CORELLI 11-10-01 Philip Hobbs
ERIC'S CHARM (FR) 10-10-01 Oliver Sherwood
HEAR THE ECHO (IRE) 7-10-01 Mouse Morris IRE
IRISH RAPTOR (IRE) 9-10-01 Nigel Twiston-Davies
LOULOU NIVERNAIS (FR) 9-10-01 Nigel Hawke
NEWBAY PROP (IRE) 9-10-01 Tony Martin IRE
RISK ACCESSOR (IRE) 13-10-01 Jonjo O'Neill
BANNISTER LANE 8-10-00 Donald McCain Jnr
GLENFINN CAPTAIN (IRE) 9-10-00 Tom Taaffe IRE
LAMPION DU BOST (FR) 9-10-00 Jim Goldie
LANKAWI 6-10-00 Peter Bowen
MAJADAL (FR) 10-10-00 Michael Scudamore
TOMMY SPAR 8-10-00 Peter Bowen
WHISPERED SECRET (GER) 9-10-00 David Pipe
BALLYFOY (IRE) 7-9-13 Tom George
INNOX (FR) 12-9-13 Jonjo O'Neill
SWEET DIVERSION (IRE) 9-9-13 Paul Nicholls
TAKE THE STAND (IRE) 12-9-13 Peter Bowen
YOU'RE SPECIAL (USA) 11-9-13 Ferdy Murphy
BOTHAR NA (IRE) 9-9-12 Willie Mullins IRE
FUSTRIEN DU PAON (FR) 12-9-12 Richard Chotard FR
LEADING MAN (IRE) 8-9-12 Ferdy Murphy
NITRAT (FR) 7-9-12 Francois Doumen FR
NOIR ET VERT (FR) 7-9-12 Ferdy Murphy
OODACHEE 9-9-12 Charlie Swan IRE
PREACHER BOY 9-9-12 Ron Hodges
AZULEJO (FR) 10-9-11 Michael Scudamore
FLINTOFF (USA) 7-9-11 Venetia Williams
FLYING ENTERPRISE (IRE) 8-9-11 Evan Williams
IRISH WOLF (FR) 8-9-11 Peter Bowen
ST MATTHEW (USA) 10-9-11 Sue Smith
BROOKLYN BREEZE (IRE) 11-9-10 Len Lungo
NOT LEFT YET (IRE) 7-9-10 David Pipe
OUR ARMAGEDDON (NZ) 11-9-10 Richard Guest
PASS ME BY 9-9-10 Venetia Williams
BURNTOAKBOY 10-9-09 Dr Richard Newland
NATIVE JACK (IRE) 14-9-09 Philip Rothwell IRE
SEA DIVA (IRE) 8-9-09 Dessie Hughes IRE
OSCAR INDIA (IRE) 9-9-08 Henry de Bromhead IRE
MALETTON (FR) 8-9-07 Evan Williams
ROYAL ROSA (FR) 9-9-07 Howard Johnson
THE OUTLIER (IRE) 10-9-07 Venetia Williams
BEANTOWN (IRE) 10-9-05 Sean Aherne IRE
MODEL SON (IRE) 10-9-05 Paul Blockley
SIXO (IRE) 11-9-05 David Pipe
ANOTHER RUM (IRE) 10-9-03 John Weymes
MCEVOY (IRE) 8-9-03 Evan Williams
BOSHAM MILL 10-9-02 Brendan Powell
SILVER JACK (IRE) 10-9-02 Martin Todhunter
VICTORY GUNNER (IRE) 10-9-02 Craig Roberts
FINAL ACT 12-9-01 John Murphy
MR ED 10-9-01
JUFUL TENNIS (FR) 11-9-00 Jean-Paul Senechal Francois Cottin FR.
HENRY'S PRIDE (IRE) 8-8-12 Alison Thorpe
TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (IRE) 12-8-12 Tom George
SECRETOFSHAMBHALA (IRE) 9-8-11 Tom Mullins IRE
WONDERKID 8-8-11 Tony Martin IRE
BENGO (IRE) 8-8-09 Ben De Haan.