RACING:JIM DREAPER'S Notre Pere has been handed top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on April 13th.

The Welsh National winner was forced to miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a slight setback but is now back in full training.

The Easter Monday feature is a race close to the hearts of the Dreaper family as Jim's father Tom won the race on multiple occasions while Jim himself has won it four times - but not since Brown Lad's third victory in 1978.

This year the top-weight will carry 11st 12lb rather than 12st for the first time in the race's history.

"If the horse is right on the day and conditions are right on the day, I would like to think that 2lb might make the difference," said Dreaper.

"He had a bit of a blip after the [ Irish] Hennessy and I was hoping to have him ready for the Gold Cup, but he had a relatively minor setback. As it happens the ground wouldn't have been right at Cheltenham and he seems fine now.

"As long as the ground is yielding at Fairyhouse he would run in the absence of any other alternatives," he said.

A total of 73 have been entered for the race, including 19 from England with Air Force One, Wichita Lineman, According To John, Character Building and 2007 runner-up Nine De Sivola leading the charge.