For the first time in more than 40 years, the Grand National weights lunch was held outside of London. Instead, the great and the good of the horse racing world came together at the Cunard Building in Liverpool for some nice grub, a few drinks and the eagerly anticipated reveal of the 2019 Grand National weights.
At 3pm, the BHA Handicapper unveiled the board and it was Bristol De Mai who had been handed top weight of 11-10. Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, it wasn’t a huge surprise given the horses rating. However, it also doesn’t guarantee that Bristol De Mai will run at Aintree. Twiston-Davies told the Racing Post “I’ve got to talk to the owners and the Gold Cup is Bristol De Mai’s first target. If everything goes well we’ll have to think about it.”
Last year’s fourth place finisher Anibale Fly will be next on 11-06. But of course if Bristol De Mai opts out of the 2019 Grand National, then Anibale Fly will be bumped up to the number one spot.
Tiger Roll and Pleasant Company who finished first and second last year have both gone up in the weights. Tiger Roll will run a couple of pounds more on 11-01 with Pleasant Company on 10-11, staying the same.
BHA Handicapper Martin Greenwood, who framed the weights for the first time this year said: “I have them both on the same mark for what they were rated after last year’s Grand National.
“Tiger Roll confirmed that rating in the Cross Country Handicap at Cheltenham in November.
“Pleasant Company has been a bit disappointing in a few runs since, but I think the Aintree fences will bring out the best in him, so that is why I left him on that mark.”
Connections at Gigginstown should be happy with how their horses faired. Alpha Des Obeaux is their highest weighted on 11-04, with Outlander on 11-00 and Don Poli on 10-13. And the positive response from trainer Gordon Elliott confirms it.
Elliott is back to win it saying “I’ll run as many as I can. I’ve won it before and it would be nice to win it again.
“Basically I’ll run whatever gets in. If I can get 10 to 15 in, I’ll run them all.
“We look forward to it. Obviously it’s a race we target and want to win.
“It will be very hard for Tiger Roll. He’s got a lot more weight this year, but we’ll see what happens.
“He’s very good. He’ll run in the Boyne Hurdle in Navan this weekend and then go to Cheltenham for the cross-country again.
“Obviously we have Dounikos and General Principle, who ran well in the trial at Punchestown. They’ll be going.
“We’ll try to get them all in because if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Interestingly, only nine potential 2019 Grand National runners are currently weighted at 11-00 or more. That is not a lot considering the calibre of entry this year. It may be a case that more will get pulled into the higher weights if Bristol De Mai is scratched at some point. However, if he does go to Aintree then it leaves the field wide open.
Even Elegant Escape is relatively unscathed on 11-04 and still remains a favourite at 14/1 with Paddy Power. You can still get him at 20/1 ante-post at Betfred!
Grand National 2019 Weights
| Horse | Age | Wgt | Rating | Owner | Trainer | |
| 1) | BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) | 8 | 11-10 | 168 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2) | ANIBALE FLY (FR) | 9 | 11-06 | 164 | J P McManus | Tony Martin IRE |
| 3) | ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) | 9 | 11-04 | 162 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 4) | ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE) | 7 | 11-04 | 162 | John Romans | Colin Tizzard |
| 5) | THE STORYTELLER (IRE) | 8 | 11-03 | 161 | Pat Sloan | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 6) | VALTOR (FR) | 10 | 11-02 | 160 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
| 7) | EDWULF | 10 | 11-01 | 159 | J P McManus | Joseph O’Brien IRE |
| 8) | TIGER ROLL (IRE) | 9 | 11-01 | 159 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 9) | OUTLANDER (IRE) | 11 | 11-00 | 158 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 10) | DON POLI (IRE) | 10 | 10-13 | 157 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 11) | GO CONQUER (IRE) | 10 | 10-13 | 157 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 12) | SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) | 10 | 10-13 | 157 | Gigginstown House Stud | Henry de Bromhead IRE |
| 13) | BLAKLION | 10 | 10-12 | 156 | Simon Such & Gino Paletta | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 14) | MALA BEACH (IRE) | 11 | 10-12 | 156 | Chris Jones | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 15) | YALA ENKI (FR) | 9 | 10-12 | 156 | Hills of Ledbury (Aga) | Venetia Williams |
| 16) | BALLYOPTIC (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | 155 | Mills & Mason Partnership | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 17) | BLACK CORTON (FR) | 8 | 10-11 | 155 | The Brooks, Stewart Families & J Kyle | Paul Nicholls |
| 18) | LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | 155 | Trevor Hemmings | Nick Alexander |
| 19) | MINELLA ROCCO (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | 155 | J P McManus | Jonjo O’Neill |
| 20) | PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) | 11 | 10-11 | 155 | Malcolm Denmark | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 21) | AMERICAN (FR) | 9 | 10-10 | 154 | The Jago Family Partnership | Harry Fry |
| 22) | DOUNIKOS (FR) | 8 | 10-10 | 154 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 23) | ONE FOR ARTHUR (IRE) | 10 | 10-10 | 154 | Two Golf Widows | Lucinda Russell |
| 24) | RATHVINDEN (IRE) | 11 | 10-10 | 154 | Ronnie Bartlett | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 25) | SHATTERED LOVE (IRE) | 8 | 10-10 | 154 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 26) | SIZING CODELCO (IRE) | 10 | 10-10 | 154 | Ann & Alan Potts Limited | Colin Tizzard |
| 27) | TOTAL RECALL (IRE) | 10 | 10-10 | 154 | Slaneyville Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 28) | TRAFFIC FLUIDE (FR) | 9 | 10-10 | 154 | Galloping On The South Downs Partnership | Gary Moore |
| 29) | ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) | 9 | 10-09 | 153 | Diana Whateley | Philip Hobbs |
| 30) | WARRIORS TALE | 10 | 10-09 | 153 | Trevor Hemmings | Paul Nicholls |
| 31) | AUVERGNAT (FR) | 9 | 10-08 | 152 | J P McManus | Enda Bolger IRE |
| 32) | REGAL ENCORE (IRE) | 11 | 10-08 | 152 | J P McManus | Anthony Honeyball |
| 33) | ROYAL VACATION (IRE) | 9 | 10-08 | 152 | Jean Bishop | Colin Tizzard |
| 34) | A TOI PHIL (FR) | 9 | 10-07 | 151 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 35) | JURY DUTY (IRE) | 8 | 10-07 | 151 | Sideways Syndicate | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 36) | MAGIC OF LIGHT (IRE) | 8 | 10-07 | 151 | Ann & Alan Potts Limited | Jessica Harrington IRE |
| 37) | MASTER DEE (IRE) | 10 | 10-07 | 151 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Fergal O’Brien |
| 38) | MONBEG NOTORIOUS (IRE) | 8 | 10-06 | 150 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 39) | NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) | 10 | 10-06 | 150 | Chris Jones | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 40) | SANDYMOUNT DUKE (IRE) | 10 | 10-06 | 150 | Ronnie Wood | Jessica Harrington IRE |
| 41) | THE LAST SAMURI (IRE) | 11 | 10-06 | 150 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Harry Fry |
| 42) | ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) | 9 | 10-05 | 149 | Slaneyville Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 43) | RAMSES DE TEILLEE (FR) | 7 | 10-05 | 149 | John White & Anne Underhill | David Pipe |
| 44) | TEA FOR TWO | 10 | 10-05 | 149 | Jane Williams & Len Jakeman | Jane Williams |
| 45) | DAKLONDIKE (IRE) | 7 | 10-04 | 148 | Prof Caroline Tisdall | David Pipe |
| 46) | MALL DINI (IRE) | 9 | 10-04 | 148 | Philip Reynolds | Patrick Kelly IRE |
| 47) | CALETT MAD (FR) | 7 | 10-03 | 147 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 48) | STEP BACK (IRE) | 9 | 10-03 | 147 | Cracker and Smodge Partnership | Mark Bradstock |
| 49) | THE DUTCHMAN (IRE) | 9 | 10-03 | 147 | SprayClad UK | Colin Tizzard |
| 50) | ULTRAGOLD (FR) | 11 | 10-03 | 147 | Brocade Racing John Romans Terry Warner | Colin Tizzard |
| 52) | MS PARFOIS (IRE) | 8 | 10-02 | 146 | M R Chapman | Anthony Honeyball |
| 53) | PAIROFBROWNEYES (IRE) | 10 | 10-02 | 146 | Fibbage Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 54) | SINGLEFARMPAYMENT | 9 | 10-02 | 146 | N T Griffith & H M Haddock | Tom George |
| 55) | SOME NECK (FR) | 8 | 10-02 | 146 | Susannah Ricci | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 56) | UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) | 10 | 10-02 | 146 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 57) | VALSEUR LIDO (FR) | 10 | 10-02 | 146 | Gigginstown House Stud | Henry de Bromhead IRE |
| 58) | VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) | 10 | 10-02 | 146 | Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent | David Pipe |
| 59) | ABOLITIONIST (IRE) | 11 | 10-01 | 145 | Mark Albon, John Provan & Chris Stedman | Dr Richard Newland |
| 60) | GIVE ME A COPPER (IRE) | 9 | 10-01 | 145 | Done, Ferguson, Kyle, Mason & Wood | Paul Nicholls |
| 61) | MISSED APPROACH (IRE) | 9 | 10-01 | 145 | Alan & Andrew Turner | Warren Greatrex |
| 62) | FOLSOM BLUE (IRE) | 12 | 10-00 | 144 | Core Partnership | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 63) | GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) | 10 | 10-00 | 144 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 64) | LIVELOVELAUGH (IRE) | 9 | 10-00 | 144 | Susannah Ricci | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 65) | VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE) | 9 | 10-00 | 144 | Trevor Hemmings | Sue Smith |
| 66) | WALK IN THE MILL (FR) | 9 | 10-00 | 144 | Baroness Harding | Robert Walford |
| 67) | WILLIE BOY (IRE) | 8 | 10-00 | 144 | Kate & Andrew Brooks | Charlie Longsdon |
| 68) | BALLYHILL (FR) | 8 | 9-13 | 143 | Simon Such & Gino Paletta | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 69) | BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) | 14 | 9-13 | 143 | Adrian Butler & Stephen O’Connor | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 70) | CAPTAIN REDBEARD (IRE) | 10 | 9-13 | 143 | Stuart Coltherd | Stuart Coltherd |
| 71) | POLIDAM (FR) | 10 | 9-13 | 143 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 72) | ALLYSSON MONTERG (FR) | 9 | 9-12 | 142 | David Fox | Richard Hobson |
| 73) | BAIE DES ILES (FR) | 8 | 9-12 | 142 | Zorka Wentworth | Ross O’Sullivan IRE |
| 74) | EXITAS (IRE) | 11 | 9-12 | 142 | P Middleton, M Lowther | Phil Middleton |
| 75) | ISLEOFHOPENDREAMS | 12 | 9-12 | 142 | Kilbroney Racing | Willie Mullins IRE |
| 76) | JOE FARRELL (IRE) | 10 | 9-12 | 142 | M Sherwood, N Morris & R Curtis | Rebecca Curtis |
| 77) | JUST A PAR (IRE) | 12 | 9-12 | 142 | M Scott | James Moffatt |
| 78) | RED INFANTRY (IRE) | 9 | 9-12 | 142 | Rob Little | Ian Williams |
| 79) | SHANTOU VILLAGE (IRE) | 9 | 9-12 | 142 | Jane Gerard-Pearse | Neil Mulholland |
| 80) | THE YOUNG MASTER | 10 | 9-12 | 142 | Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters | Neil Mulholland |
| 81) | WESTERNER POINT (IRE) | 10 | 9-11 | 141 | Thade Quill Syndicate | Eoghan O’Grady IRE |
| 82) | BALLYARTHUR (IRE) | 9 | 9-10 | 140 | Graham and Alison Jelley | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 83) | BALLYDINE (IRE) | 9 | 9-10 | 140 | Alan Halsall | Charlie Longsdon |
| 84) | COGRY | 10 | 9-10 | 140 | Graham and Alison Jelley | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 85) | FACT OF THE MATTER (IRE) | 9 | 9-10 | 140 | The Sandylini Racing Partnership | Jamie Snowden |
| 86) | OUT SAM | 10 | 9-10 | 140 | D Charlesworth | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 87) | VIEUX MORVAN (FR) | 10 | 9-10 | 140 | M L Bloodstock Limited | Joseph O’Brien IRE |
| 88) | IMPULSIVE STAR (IRE) | 9 | 9-09 | 139 | Robert Waley-Cohen & Men Holding | Neil Mulholland |
| 89) | KINGSWELL THEATRE | 10 | 9-09 | 139 | John J Murray | Michael Scudamore |
| 90) | MR DIABLO (IRE) | 10 | 9-09 | 139 | Aidan Glynn | Philip Dempsey IRE |
| 91) | CAROLE’S DESTRIER | 11 | 9-08 | 138 | Mrs C Skipworth | Neil Mulholland |
| 92) | MILANSBAR (IRE) | 12 | 9-08 | 138 | Robert Bothway | Neil King |
| 93) | BORICE (FR) | 8 | 9-07 | 137 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 94) | JAROB | 12 | 9-07 | 137 | Chris Jones | Gearoid O’Loughlin IRE |
| 95) | MEASUREOFMYDREAMS (IRE) | 11 | 9-07 | 137 | T Howley Jnr/A J O’Ryan/D McDonnell | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 96) | ROGUE ANGEL (IRE) | 11 | 9-07 | 137 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 97) | SPLASH OF GINGE | 11 | 9-07 | 137 | John Neild | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 98) | ZIGA BOY (FR) | 10 | 9-07 | 137 | Axom LI | Alan King |
| 99) | CALL IT MAGIC (IRE) | 9 | 9-05 | 135 | Zorka Wentworth | Ross O’Sullivan IRE |
| 100) | HIGHLAND LODGE (IRE) | 13 | 9-05 | 135 | Cheveley Park Stud | James Moffatt |
| 101) | KILCREA VALE (IRE) | 9 | 9-05 | 135 | Alan Spence | Nicky Henderson |
| 102) | WOODS WELL (IRE) | 8 | 9-05 | 135 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 103) | LOOKING WELL (IRE) | 10 | 9-03 | 133 | David Wesley Yates | Nicky Richards |
| 104) | BACK TO THE THATCH (IRE) | 7 | 9-02 | 132 | M R & Mrs C J Barnwell | Henry Daly |
| 105) | POTTERS CORNER (IRE) | 9 | 9-02 | 132 | All Stars Sports Racing & J Davies | Christian Williams |
| 106) | MORNEY WING (IRE) | 10 | 8-13 | 129 | The Steeple Chasers | Charlie Mann |
| 107) | NED STARK (IRE) | 11 | 8-12 | 128 | Noel Moran/Mrs Valerie Moran | Gordon Elliott IRE |
| 108) | RATHLIN ROSE (IRE) | 11 | 8-12 | 128 | Fergus Wilson | David Pipe |
| 109) | SCOIR MEAR (IRE) | 9 | 8-11 | 127 | J P McManus | Thomas Mullins IRE |
| 110) | VAN GOGH DU GRANIT (FR) | 10 | 8-11 | 127 | Fergus Wilson | David Pipe |
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