Hedgehunter clear favourite

RACING/Aintree Grand National news: Hedgehunter has been the subject of serious support from punters for Saturday's John Smith's Grand National and is now as short as 7 to 1 clear favourite for the great race. Willie Mullins' raider has always been prominent in the ante-post market for Aintree after falling at the final fence in last year's race.

After a hurdling campaign this season, he produced a good display when winning on his return to fences in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February.

His well-being was confirmed by Mullins yesterday, who said: "He is grand, and will travel over in the next day or two."

Coral saw a particularly large influx of money for the nine-year-old, and the firm's spokesman Simon Clare reported: "The housewives may well pile their housekeeping money on Carrie Ford and Forest Gunner, but the serious cash from Ireland will ensure Hedgehunter heads the market come racetime."

Colnel Rayburn has also been the subject of significant support into 16 to 1 from 33s last weekend, but his trainer Paul Nolan believes any value in his price has evaporated.

"I'd say the value has now gone. I know his owner backed him on Betfair at over 100 to 1 a month ago, so to be taking that sort of price now seems to be a bit short, but it is up to people what they feel themselves," he said. "All I can say though, is the horse couldn't be in better health and his preparation couldn't have gone any smoother.

"He scoped yesterday and the vet said he has never seen him so clean, so we are hoping he will give a good account of himself. You need an awful lot of luck in running and you would want a big price just to get round alone.

"But if he gets into a rhythm after the first five or six fences and stands up, we hope he will get a place, and he has a good each-way chance."

Colnel Rayburn came home last of five runners in the Red Mills Chase in February on his final outing before Aintree, but had previously finished a good third in a Grand National trial at Punchestown. "His best performances have been on softer ground," Nolan continued. "But hopefully the ground won't be too soft, to help him see out the trip."

The Nolan camp received good news yesterday, with Paul Carberry taking the ride. "The owners were wanting someone with experience of Aintree and somebody who has finished the course, and of course Paul has won the race," said Nolan.

Leading candidate Strong Resolve will definitely face the starter for a shot at the £700,000 prize following yesterday's announcement of the elimination sequence for the race.

The Lucinda Russell-trained nine-year-old was 41st on the list, with 40 allowed to run, when the five-day declarations were released yesterday. But as one of 10 horses on the same weight, with nine of them guaranteed a run, his fate depended on handicapper Phil Smith's new ratings.

Any eliminations concerning horses on the same weight are determined by official ratings in operation at Thursday's 48-hour declaration stage. Smith's new figures reveal he rates Strong Resolve higher than nearly all the horses on the same weight, so he gets a run.

One who won't be lining up is First Gold, who will miss the race in favour of a tilt at a third victory in the Betfair Bowl tomorrow. Francois Doumen's veteran chaser took the three-mile-one-furlong contest when it was run under its previous title of the Martell Cup in 2001 and 2003, and chased home Tiutchev in last year's renewal.

It was thought he would tackle the Grand National fences on Saturday, but his trainer has been tempted to change his mind because of the conditions of the alternative race.

Penalties are given to winners of races after September 30, 2003, but First Gold has not won since April of that year, and is set to carry 11st 2lb.

Frank Berry, racing manager to the horse's owner J P McManus, said: "He is not running in the Grand National and he will go for the Betfair Bowl on Thursday."

However, McManus will still have plenty of interest in the Grand National, a race he has always wanted to win.

His team of six is headed by the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Clan Royal, who is around a 10 to 1 shot after finishing second last year, although he has only raced once since.

Berry added: "We have jockeys for three of the runners - Le Coudray will be ridden by Conor O'Dwyer, Clan Royal by Tony McCoy and Innox by Robert Thornton. For the other three (Spot Thedifference, Risk Accessor and Shamawan), we will just see what jockeys are around, but they are all intended runners."

Despite First Gold's defection, another of the fancied horses, Longshanks, will need another six to come out in order to run.

Following a dry morning, the official going on the course has changed to good, good to soft in places, while it is good on both the Mildmay and hurdle courses.