THE Grey Monk will lead a team of eight British trained horses in Monday's Jameson Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

A field of 21 horses were left after yesterday's declaration stage, including the Gordon Richards trained topweight, The Grey Monk and the David Nicholson trained pair, Percy Smollet and St Mellion Fairway, who have all been helped by the recent showers at the Co Meath track.

The most significant defector yesterday was the 1996 Irish Grand National winner Feathered Gale, who is now likely to run instead in the Martell Grand National at Aintree next Saturday.