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No major names missing at latest forfeit stage.

Following today's latest forfeit stage for the Aintree Grand National, all the major names remain involved. Furthermore, with the three joint 11 stone 10 pound top weights - Albertas Run, Madison du Berlais and Notra Pere - all still in the lineup, it also means there have been no alterations in the existing weights for the four and a half mile marathon.

Despite complaining about the 11 stone 1 pound allocated to War of Attrition, Mouse Morris has left the former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the field, but he commented:

"We're heading for the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, thereafter we'll just take it day by day with him."

Among the thirteen horses scratched today were the Willie Mullins trained trio of Irish Invader, Beroni and Jayo. Other well known names missing will be; One Cool Cookie, Parsons Legacy and Tony Martin's Royal County Star.

Not an impossible task for Our Vic.

Not seen since disappointing in the Welsh Grand National, the Paul Nicholls trained The Tother One has to carry top weight of 11 stone 12 pounds in this year's william Hill Trophy Chase on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. But despite having to carry second highest weight of 11 stone 11 pounds, Our Vic has shown by his win in the Peter Marsh Chase and second place in the Blue Square Gold Cup, he is as good as ever, and if connections decide on this race for their veteran campaigner, he could be worth at least each way support.

The current anti post joint favourites for the race - novice Bensalem and David Pipe's other runner The Package - carry 10 stone 11 pounds and 10 stones 9 pounds respectively.

The only two withdrawals at today's latest scratching stage were the Emma Lavelle trained duo of Kilcrea Castle and Chariot Charger - Leaving a current entry of 64 horses.

Hannon bullish about Canford Cliffs.

Richard Hannon reports his outstanding 2009 Coventry Stakes winner Canford Cliffs has wintered particularly well, and he is very hopeful his three-year-old will repeat his 2009 early season success in 2010. Discussing his colt, Hannon said,

"It is easy to be bullish about such a good horse, but I really feel he has what it takes to land the 2,000 guineas, and after reviewing his home work, I am certainly confident he will get the Classic one mile trip at Newmarket."

Best now making plans for Mullionmileanhour.

Suffering major leg problems after his third in the Windsor Castle Stakes in 2008, Mullionmileanhour made his return to racing when a good third to the progressive Jaconet in a Listed six furlong contest at Lingfield on Saturday.

Trainer John Best now reports his four -year-old has come out of the race in excellent shape, and after a few weeks off, he intends to give Mullionmileanhour a full campaign on the turf, initially taking in some leading handicaps, and hopefully building up to pattern races.

Top weight for treble seeking Champetre.

If Garde Champetre is to lift his third Glenfarclas Festival Cross Country title, his sixth Cheltenham cross country win in all, he will have to defy top weight of 11 stone 12 pounds in this year's renewal.

Enda Bolger, who trained the first three home in last year's race, has a total of five entries, and apart from Garde Champetre, last year's second L'Ami has to carry 11 stone 4 pounds, while third placed Drombeag gets just 10 stone for his fourteen length beating in last season's contest.

The Leading British contender is Monkirhosten, and the recent Sandown winner has to caryy second top weight of 11 stone 7 pounds - not an impossibility if he handles the turns and different types of jumps incorporated in the crosss country course.

Carberry chosen for Shannon Spirit.

In his attempt to land the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, trainer Tom Hogan has gone for the feminine touch for his entry Shannon Spirit, for the handler has chosen Nina Carberry to partner his runner in the Grade One two mile contest.

Shannon Spirit has only had one run, but his 7 length win at Thurles in January was fairly impressive, and if he has the ability, Nina Carberry's knowledge of Cheltenham could prove decisive.

Dettori to lead Cavalry charge.

Frankie Dettori will accompany Cavalryman on his Dubai debut in the Group 2 Maktoum Challenge on Meydan Racecourse's ten furlong tapeta track.

Trained in France last year by Andre Fabre, Cavalryman won the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix Niel before going on to finish just two and a half lengths behind John Oxx's super horse Sea The Stars in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe.

However, despite his undoubted ability, Cavalryman will find it hard going in his first race. Amongstt his opposition will be stable mate Allybar, who with the help of partner Ahmed Ajtebi has already seen off the likes of Luca Cumani's Presvis and Brian Meehan's Crowded House in his two previous races on the tapeta surface.

South African trainer Mike de Kock will be represented in the same race by Lizard's Desire and Mr Brock, and both horses have already shown their well being by scoring double victories at the new Meydan racing venue.

Japan Cup winner Vodka and last season's World Cup runner up Gloria de Campeao will make Cavalryman's task even harder.

Speaking about what he expects to learn from the race Saeed bin Suroor said,

"Cavalryman is a horse I like and he is working well. We need to see how he handles the tapeta surface, and from that we can decide the best race for him on World Cup night."

Mill Chief to missout on Cheltenham run.

Alan King has confirmed his french import Mill Chief willnot recover from his recent setback in time to go to the Cheltenham Festival. The anti post favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle went lame after a home gallop last week, but even after missing his intended Cheltenham preparation race in Saturday's Adonis Hurdle at Kempton Park, connections had hoped he might recover in time to go to Cheltenham, but King has indicated his injury will not heal in time.

"If we allowed him to go on to the Festival, he would only be about 90% fit, and that would not be good enough to win a race like the Triumph Hurdle. I know he has had a bit of an interupted season, but I still have a great deal of faith in Mill Chief's ability, and we will now put him on a preparation programme to compete in targeted novice hurdle races at aintree and Punchestown."

Sherwood to have sole Cheltenham representative.

Argento Luna will be trainer Oliver Sherwood's sole representative at this season's Cheltenham Festival. A winner of the NewburyMares Final last season, the nine-year-old mare has been struggling for form during the current campaign, and Sherwood has taken a phlegmatic approach to her chances, saying:

"I will watch Argento Luna run in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle, and then it will be off to the Guinness tent." Sherwood then added,

"To be fair, she has only run three times this season, and she was brought down in one of her races. The two and a half mile trip will be ideal, and she would have an outside each way chance on her best form."

Mouse seeks good ground for Rock.

Apart from his old favourite War of Attrition, Mouse Morris has high hopes for China Rock at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Discussing the young chaser the Irish trainer commented,

"As a son of Pressing he is crying out for good ground, and providing it is no worse than good to soft, he will go for the Jewson at this year's Festival, and with a sound surface, I would givehim a very good chance of at least making it into the frame."

Charlton aiming for another Kelso victory.

Victories for Bywell Beau in 2007 and promising novice chaser Knockara Beau in 2009 have ensured Northumberland trainer George Charlton has taken two of the last three runnings of the Totepool Premier Kelso Hurdle, and with his runners Melange and Sunaari, he is hoping to make it three from fourin Saturday's renewal of the race.

Discussing the relative merits of his two hurdlers, Charlton said:

"Melange has gone up five pounds in the weights without even running, but that's way the cookie crumbles, particularly as his previous form is working out well. I think he's very good, but he will need more than two miles in time, and like Knockara Beau, he will make up into a good chaser. The first time he ran against Carlito Brigante he was only beaten by six lengths while conceeding seven pounds to the winner and second Orsibbus, and both have since gone on to win good races. In his most recent outing he knocked the last flight out of the ground and put a hole in his shin, which is why he hasn' run since. If he runs well we might run him in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham, particularly as I sold a half share in him, and the other owners are keen to go to Cheltenham."

Going on to discuss Sunaari, Charlton added,

"Sunaari will make a good horse in time, but he's just learning the game at the moment, and he's got less experience than Melange. He's also a tricky ride in that he needs putting in front right on the line."

Rachel breezes through work out.

Just ten days before American Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra gets back into racing action, she had a six furlong work out at Fair Grounds on Tuesday, and from all accounts she was very impressive. Breezing through the first four furlongs, she was asked to quicken past her running companion in the last two furlongs, and clockers put her overall time at 1 minute 13.35 seconds, but only 22.35 seconds for the final quarter mile.