AINTREE yesterday announced measures to ensure a maximum field of 40 for next year's Martell Grand National by raising the top weight to 12st, easing the event's qualification restrictions and adding £50,000 to the prize money.
It is to introduce changes to the conditions of the world's most famous steeplechase following a review of the race, which last season attracted its smallest field for 36 years.
A line up of just 27 runners was the lowest turnout since Merryman II beat 25 rivals in the 1960 National. With Young Hustler heading the weights on 11st 7lb only nine raced off their proper handicap mark.
From next year, the initial minimum top-weight will increase from 11st 10lb to 12st and if the weights need to rise at the overnight declaration stage, they will go up to 11st 10lb instead of 11st 7lb.
The new procedure will cover all long-distance jump handicaps of three and a half miles or over from January as the British Horseracing Board seeks to maximise all race fields.
In addition, Aintree is lowering the minimum Grand National qualification rating from 120, which last year ruled out the likes of Killeshin and Do Be Brief to 110.
And it is lifting the estimated total value of the race to £300,000, pushing total prize money for the track's six racedays to in excess of £1 million.
"Our objective is to attract class horses whilst at the same time producing a field as close as possible to the safety factor of 40," said Aintree managing director Charles Barnett.
Grand National winner Rough Quest was yesterday reported better than ever" as he prepares to kick off a campaign that will include another attempt at the elusive Cheltenham Gold Cup Aintree double.
Terry Casey, his trainer and work-rider, believes he is three weeks away from a first run which is designed to set him up for a crack at the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
Rough Quest's training programme has been put back by a hurt tendon but a gallop at the weekend, his first of the season, proved he is not far off race fitness.
Casey has earmarked chases at Cheltenham on December 13th and Doncaster the following day as ideal comeback events for Rough Quest. But if the gelding is not ready in time he will miss the King George.
"I ride Rough Quest all the time and know him so well and when he worked on Sunday he felt tremendous," the trainer said.
"It was a mile workout, climbing all the way, and he felt better than ever.
David Gandolfo can land a feature across-the-card double with Gales Cavalier and Trying Again at Haydock and Kempton today.
Gales Cavalier has a fine chance. He made great strides towards the end of last season, culminating in a three-quarters-of-a-length defeat of the smart Viking Flagship at Cheltenham.
Helfsio was given a boost just five days before his Japan Cup bid when he was crowned champion of Europe last night. The Prix de l'Arc De Triomphe winner, currently in Tokyo being prepared for Sunday's £1 million contest, was named horse of the year at a gala dinner in London celebrating the sixth annual Cartier Awards.
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