Tricky Trickster leads betting

The Aintree spectacular is one of the few big prizes in the National Hunt game still to elude the champion trainer, but Aon Chase winner Tricky Trickster appears to have leading claims with 11st 4lb on his back.

Paddy Power and Betfred both make the seven-year-old the 10-1 market leader, while William Hill and Blue Square offer a slightly more generous 12-1.

William Hill make the Ditcheat maestro 7-1 to train the winner.

The last three winners of the National were among the 111 remaining entries for this year's race. Mon Mome, who sprang a 100-1 shock in 2009, has seven pounds more to carry this year. Comply Or Die, successful in 2008, has one pound less to carry than when runner-up last year. Silver Birch also has one pound less than when winning in 2007.

Albertas Run, Madison Du Berlais and Notre Pere head the weights for the 10 April race.

Nicholls' Argento Chase winner Taranis is next in the list on 11st 9lb while Pipe's Our Vic would carry 11st 8lb if he lines up in the four-and-a-half-mile spectacular. Julian Thick, Aintree managing director, said: "It is fantastic that such a high-class field will line up in what will be the most valuable jump race ever run in Britain."

Not everyone was sharing in the excitement, however. Grand National legend Ginger McCain has criticised the race for now being too easy.

McCain entered folklore by training Red Rum to win the National three times in the 1970s and with Amberleigh House in 2004.

He said: "Last year, when I saw all those horses coming back on to the racecourse at the second-last I thought, 'It's not Liverpool'.

"You are eliminating the Aintree factor by making it softer, not making it better.

"They should have a top weight of 12st and add more fences – you don't make it to the top of Everest by taking 10,000 feet off the top.

In response, Sir Peter O'Sullevan quipped: "There are very few men who can talk utter rubbish more engagingly than Ginger."