Blaklion and Poker Party guaranteed Grand National run after confirmations

Last year's sixth Blaklion and big-priced outsider Poker Party have made the cut for the Randox Grand National but the fancied Eclair Surf is still not certain to do so after the latest confirmations stage on Monday.

Chris's Dream, a stablemate of Poker Party, has been taken out of Saturday's £1 million race at Aintree, meaning last year's winner Minella Times will now carry top weight.

The Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad was the other absentee among the top 40. Highland Hunter had already been scratched after being ruled out with a leg injury which meant Deise Aba (previously 41st on the list) was already guaranteed a run.

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Blaklion has form figures of 4B6 in the National and will bid to become the first horse since Sergeant Murphy, the 1923 winner, to bag the race at the age of 13.

The John McConnell-trained Go Another One, who would have been 42nd on the list, was the other horse scratched on Monday.

Poker Party: the other horse to make the National cut on MondayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

With Poker Party now the bottomweight, the Gordon Elliott-trained Death Duty is officially 41st in the list with Domaine De L'Isle in 42nd and they share the same weight.

The final position of those two contenders will be determined by their BHA rating, as opposed to the rating given when the National weights were framed. If those ratings are the still the same and only one can make the field, a random ballot will be used.

The Emma Lavelle-trained Eclair Surf, as short as 11-1 and officially 43rd on the list, is in the same scenario with Fortescue in 44th.

Commodore (45th), School Boy Hours (46th) and Romain De Senam (47th) are other confirmations outside the cut and share a rating of 142.

Sean Curran, trainer of Domaine De L'Isle said: "Touch wood, we get the chance but we'd need Gordon Elliott to bring seven instead of nine for the race. We'll see what happens, it'd be nice to go up there and nick a bit of diesel money."

Elliott has eight guaranteed a run with Escaria Ten and Mount Ida his other contenders, while owners Gigginstown House Stud have six inside the top 40 including general 8-1 favourite Delta Work, Run Wild Fred and Farclas.

Classic Chase scorer Eclair Surf needs three others to come out, while 100-1 shot Domaine De L'Isle requires two not to be declared.

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Full field as it stands

1 Minella Times National rating 161
2 Delta Work 160
3 Easysland 159
4 Any Second Now 159
5 Run Wild Fred 158
6 Lostintranslation 157
7 Brahma Bull 157
8 Battleoverdoyen 157
9 Burrows Saint 156
10 Mount Ida 156
11 Longhouse Poet 155
12 Fiddlerontheroof 155
13 Two For Gold 154
14 Santini 153
15 Samcro 152
16 Farclas 152
17 Escaria Ten 152
18 Good Boy Bobby 150
19 Lord Du Mesnil 150
20 Coko Beach 150
21 De Rasher Counter 149
22 Caribean Boy 149
23 Court Maid 149
24 Kildisart 148
25 Discorama 148
26 Top Ville Ben 148
27 Enjoy D'Allen 148
28 Anibale Fly 148
29 Dingo Dollar 148
30 Freewheelin' Dylan 147
31 Class Conti 147
32 Noble Yeats 147
33 Mighty Thunder 147
34 Cloth Cap 147
35 Snow Leopardess 146
36 Agusta Gold 146
37 Phoenix Way 146
38 Deise Aba 145
39 Blaklion 145
40 Poker Party 145

And the horses just outside the cut . . .

41 Death Duty 144
42 Domaine De L'Isle 144
43 Eclair Surf 143
44 Fortescue 143
45 Commodore 142
46 School Boy Hours 142
47 Romain De Senam 142

Read more on Aintree . . .

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