GRAHAM LEE will team up with You’re Special for the first time on Saturday as trainer Ferdy Murphy chases a £250,000 bonus in the Betfred Gold Cup.

Connections of Innox will wait until tomorrow morning before making a decision on where to run the early Aintree casualty next.

WILLIE MULLINS is hoping the rain stays away to give Hedgehunter every chance of completing back-to-back victories in the John Smith’s Grand National.

Ground Ball may bypass the John Smith’s Grand National – with connections eyeing one of two other races at Aintree this week.

HEDGEHUNTER is a general 4-1 favourite with the English firms, although Irish bookmakers Cashmans and Paddy Power buck the trend with a 5-1 offer, to land back-to-back runnings of the John Smith’s Grand National after heading the list of 84 horses left in the Aintree spectacular at the five-day confirmation stage.

Last year’s John Smith’s Grand National hero Hedgehunter tops 84 horses left in Saturday’s Aintree feature at the five-day stage.

Mick Fitzgerald believes Hedgehunter has a real chance of claiming at least a place in next week’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

ANTE-POST favourite Clan Royal and Racing Post Chase hero Innox are among 122 contenders remaining after the first forfeit stage for the John Smith’s Grand National.

Ante-post favourite Clan Royal and Racing Post Chase hero Innox are among 122 contenders remaining after the first forfeit stage for the John Smith’s Grand National.

Tony McCoy believes Innox will have a good chance in the John Smith’s Grand National following the French raider’s classy success in the Racing Post Chase at Sandown.

Francois Doumen delivered a powerful rebuttal to fears over the well-being of his string as he dominated proceedings at Sandown Park, highlighted by a one-two in the £100,000 Racing Post Chase.

French raider L’Ami heads a field of 16 declared for the £100,000 (€146,000) Racing Post Chase at Sandown tomorrow.

CORAL have cut Calling Brave from 16-1 to 12-1 for the Racing Post Chase on Saturday after Nicky Henderson’s charge was yesterday the subject of decent market support.

LAST YEAR’S winner Hedgehunter heads a healthy entry of 148 for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 8.

Paul Nicholls has a powerful 10-strong team entered in the John Smith’s Grand National as he continues his quest for his first trainers’ championship.

Leading John Smith’s Grand National candidates Clan Royal and Silver Birch are set to clash – weather permitting – over hurdles at Warwick tomorrow.

Trabolgan is now favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup with some bookmakers following continued heavy sport.

Francois Doumen has ruled Kelami out of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week and will instead rely on L’Ami.

Connections of King Harald are delighted to be finally get their Festival winner back on the track at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Connections of the luckless Clan Royal will give the gelding a week to get over his exertions in the John Smith’s Grand National before deciding on his next target.

All the big guns have stood their ground following the final 48-hour declaration stage for Saturday’s John Smith’s Grand National.

NATIONAL favourite Hedgehunter will travel to Aintree today, with his trainer Willie Mullins satisfied about the ground conditions at Liverpool.

LE COUDRAY is the new top-weight for the John Smith’s Grand National after 85 horses were confirmed at yesterday’s five-day stage for Saturday’s Aintree spectacular.

MICHAEL HOURIGAN yesterday received a welcome boost ahead of Beef Or Salmon’s crack at the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup when saddling his first winner for two months.

A total of 61 horses remain in the Martell Cognac Grand National at today’s five-day confirmation stage.

A half a century ago, a swashbuckling playboy, the 17th Marquis de Portago, rode Garde Toi to third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. But that was only one chapter in a remarkable sporting life. Simon Lewis reports.

Willie Mullins is juggling his options for the Racing Post Chase on Saturday week as he prepares a strong-looking team for this year’s Martell Cognac Grand National.