ANTE-POST punters have suffered a blow yesterday when trainer Martin Brassil revealed Numbersixvalverde had not been entered for the John Smith’s Grand National after failing to make sufficient progress from injury.

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.

Ante-post favourite Trabolgan will carry top weight of 11st 12lb in Saturday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup after 19 horses were declared for the Newbury feature.

ANTE-POST favourite Trabolgan heads 24 horses remaining in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday following the five-day confirmation stage yesterday.

TODAY’S Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown looks increasingly like being the pivotal event in the trainers’ championship race, with Martin Pipe and Paul Nicholls responsible for over half the field in the final big event of the jumps season.

Ruby Walsh has described the prospect of a clean sweep in the season’s four major Nationals as “unbelievable” just 24 hours before partnering leading chance Cornish Rebel at Ayr.

D’ARGENT has been all the rage for Saturday’s Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National and is now as low as 6-1 favourite for the Ayr showpiece.