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Minella Rocco leads the way as 63 remain in Grand National contention
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Minella Rocco remains at the head of the weights for Saturday's Randox Health Grand National at Aintree for which 63 horses are still engaged.
Among those taken out at the five-day confirmation stage were the Willie Mullins-trained trio of Bellshill, Acapella Bourgeois and Rathvinden, as well as Jonjo O'Neill's Go Conquer.
A maximum of 40 horses will line up in the four-and-a-quarter-mile feature, with Nigel Twiston-Davies' Double Ross currently occupying the final slot in the race.
If there are any withdrawals from the final 40 between declaration time on Thursday and 1pm on Friday, one of four reserves will step up in the order they are selected.
Twiston-Davies also has leading hope Blaklion in the mix, while all the other major candidates such as Tiger Roll for Gordon Elliott and the Mullins-trained Total Recall were left in.
Raz De Maree, Baie Des Iles and Anibale Fly also feature in a very strong Irish raiding party.
One who will be lining up for a third attempt is Vieux Lion Rouge, having finished seventh and sixth in the last two renewals.
"He usually lights up for the big occasion," trainer David Pipe told At The Races.
"He's run well in the last two Nationals and he won't mind what the ground is. It's just the first half of the season hasn't really gone to plan.
"We've beaten Blaklion and he's beaten us, but because of the first half of the season, we've come down a few pounds in the weights."
Others of note to stand their ground include last year's fifth Gas Line Boy and Seeyouatmidnight, who will now run in the colours of David and Patricia Thompson, successful with Party Politics in 1992.
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