Punters scent a Chives success
He remains an 11-1 chance with Cashmans.
Chives is one of three potential runners for trainer Henrietta Knight, who will bid to record a historic double having won this season's Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup with Best Mate.
Richard Guest, successful on Red Marauder in 2001, will ride Chives. Knight's other representatives, Maximize and Southern Star, are to be ridden by Jim Culloty and Dominic Elsworth respectively.
Chives and Southern Star are owned by Trevor Hemmings, whose racing manager Michael Meagher reported them in good order for Saturday's race.
He said: "Chives is fine. I suppose we'd prefer some rain for him but he ran a sound race in the Gold Cup (finished seventh) on ground on the easy side of good and if they get the rain forecast for tomorrow that's what Aintree will be like.
"He ran a blinder to finish second in the Welsh National on heavy ground. He really acts on most types of ground."
Elsworth has a good record over the National fences and Meagher said: "Dominic won the Becher Chase on Ardent Scout and they were also second to Young Kenny in the same race two years earlier. He's good round there. Dominic rode Southern Star at Cheltenham and he jumped like a buck for him."
Hungerford trainer Pat Murphy was a relieved man after he learned his stable star Supreme Glory will get a run in the National.
Last season's Coral Welsh National winner needed 14 horses above him in the weights to come out and after 17 were withdrawn at yesterday's confirmation stage, the 10-year-old was assured of an outing in the Aintree spectacular.
Murphy said: "I thought we'd be about 36 or 37 I'd been doing my homework!
"I'm absolutely delighted. He's been trained specifically for the race. The ground will be ideal and we are delighted to be taking part.
"He did his last serious piece of work on Saturday, is absolutely spot on, will have a school in the middle of the week and that's basically his preparation done."
Leighton Aspell will take the ride and Murphy added: "He's over the moon about it."
The going at Aintree, where watering continues, is described as good, which gives connections of Youlneverwalkalone cause for concern.
Youlneverwalkalone has been one of the heaviest-backed horses for Saturday but is not a certain runner, trainer Christy Roche has warned.
The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old, winner of the William Hill National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on his last start, has been backed down to as low as 9-1 with Ladbrokes for the Grand National.
Ladbrokes spokesman Balthazar Fabricius said: "All the signs suggest Youlneverwalkalone will be the best-backed horse in Grand National history."
But Roche said: "Regarding Youlneverwalkalone, myself and JP McManus wish to advise punters not to back the horse ante-post. They should wait until the day. With the current forecast, he is unlikely to run."
Roche later explained further his concerns.
"Reading the papers this morning I saw there was a lot of ante-post betting on Youlneverwalkalone, and I know that with the connection of Liverpool there will be a lot of support for the horse.
"He's come out of his Cheltenham race well and I'm happy with him, but if Liverpool isn't safe Youlneverwalkalone will not run," he told attheraces.
"We will walk the course on Thursday evening. We think a lot of this horse. He's a family pet.
"I'd hate him to be favourite and for me to withdraw him.
"Punters shouldn't back the horse until they know he's going to run."
Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: "I'm very pleased with the ground on the Grand National course. We put four millimetres of water on it today and rain is forecast for tomorrow morning, with showers on Wednesday."
A total of 81 horses remained in the Grand National after yesterday's five-day declaration stage.
Martell Cognac Grand National betting:
Cashmans bet: 6-1 Ad Hoc, 7-1 Shotgun Willy, 11-1 Chives, Gingembre, Youllneverwalkalone, 12-1 Montys Pass, 14-1 Maximise, 16-1 Behrajan, Iris Bleu, Kingsmark, Gunner Welburn, Bindaree, Gunther McBride.
Ladbrokes: 6-1 Ad Hoc, Shotgun Willy, 9-1 Youlneverwalkalone, 10-1 Chives, 11-1 Gingembre, 14-1 Monty's Pass, 16-1 Gunner Welburn, Iris Bleu, Killusty, Maximize.
