'He could yet bounce back' - Racing Post Ratings analysis from Steve Mason

Officially a stone well in, Cloth Cap went off the 11-2 favourite when pulled up in last year's Randox Grand National, and he again heads the RPRs at this early stage with a weight-adjusted figure of 182.

Close season wind surgery seemed to have done the trick at the start of the season, and there was plenty of encouragement to be gleaned from his Cheltenham reappearance run in October. However, two subsequent disappointments have raised further doubts about last season's Ladbrokes Trophy winner.

That said, the handicapper looks to have taken a real chance in reducing his mark by 9lb since the start of the season, and his revised mark of 147 is actually 1lb lower than the one he ran off in last year's race. Granted a bit of good ground at Aintree, he could yet bounce back.