Racing: Hedgehunter, last year's John Smith's Grand National hero, will share joint top weight of 11st 12lb following the news that 96 horses stand their ground at the second forfeit stage for next month's renewal of the Aintree marathon.
The weights have been raised 2lb after the withdrawal of Monkerhostin, one of 26 horses who were taken out along with A Glass In Thyne, One Knight, and the Martin Pipe quartet, Comply Or Die, Joaaci, Iris Bleu and Zeta's River.
Willie Mullins' Hedgehunter carried 11st 1lb when beating Royal Auclair by 14 lengths last year, but both will be saddled with top weight this time around.
And the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up is fortunate that the British Horseracing Board's senior handicapper Phil Smith did not have that form when he framed the National weights.
Smith said: "I have Hedgehunter rated 10lb higher than he was when I did the weights, while Sir Rembrandt is up 9lb and Innox on an 8lb higher mark.
"I am very happy that it looks a really good quality race, it looks really likely that all the runners (maximum 40) will be in the handicap proper, which was the case for the first time last year, and that is always very satisfying."