Sawt Falasteen - Defending champion I Am Maximus heads final field for Grand National

I Am Maximus -- who stormed to victory by over seven lengths last year -- is one of six runners from the stables of Irish training legend Willie Mullins.

His owner JP McManus has several other chances in the race -- including the hottest English hope Iroko -- as he eyes a record fourth victory and a winner's cheque for £500,000 ($650,000).

The Irish provide 18 of the runners, including 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, third last year, and 2023 King George VI Chase victor Hewick.

Although Minella Indo is 12 years old -- the last winner that age was Amberleigh House in 2004 -- his trainer Henry de Bromhead said he has been "showing a lot of spark".

The 52-year-old believes he is in with a chance of giving him and jockey Rachael Blackmore a second National winner to follow Minella Times's victory in 2021.

Hewick's trainer John Hanlon has only recently returned to the fray after serving a ban for transporting a dead horse in public view.

Hewick has been heavily backed to add the Grand National to his win in the 2022 US National -- though that is raced over hurdles not the intimidating Aintree fences -- and the horse celebrated with a pint of Guinness at Hanlon's local pub on his return.

However, it is not Mullins nor his great domestic rival Gordon Elliott who dominate the betting market in a race that was watched globally by 600 million last year.

That pressure is on Gavin Cromwell who is bidding to achieve the Cheltenham Gold Cup/National double in the same season.

The Irishman opted, along with McManus, not to run the Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin but the duo have Perceval Legallois.

He joins Cromwell's race favourite Stumptown, winner of the key National trial the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month, and the 2023 runner-up Vanillier.

Cromwell is keener on Perceval Legallois's chances because he is fresh, having not run since Christmas, but is hard pressed to come down on one side or the other.

"We have three great chances and I cannot split them," he said.

The last eight runnings have resulted in six Irish and two Scottish-trained winners but there are high hopes for the home contingent.

Paul Nicholls's grey Kandoo Kid bids to give the trainer a second National after Neptune Collonges won in 2012.

Hyland represents an excellent chance of finally giving training great Nicky Henderson his first National victory after 43 previous runners have tried and failed.

U.AlSharif--SF-PST