Coach Ted Walsh was left “completely shocked” after Any Second Now was given joint top-weight for this 12 months’s Randox Grand Nationwide at Tuesday’s weights lunch.

The 11-year-old has completed third and second at Aintree within the final two renewals of the world’s most well-known steeplechase and can bid to make it third time fortunate underneath the welter burden of 11st 12lb subsequent month, after the weights had been formally unveiled at an annual occasion in Liverpool.

Walsh memorably teamed up together with his son Ruby to assert Grand Nationwide glory with Papillon in 2000, however feels Any Second Now would must be an “distinctive horse” so as to add his title to the roll of honour.

“All I can say is that I do know he isn’t Purple Rum, I do know he isn’t a Crisp and he isn’t a L’Escargot, so make your individual thoughts up,” stated the coach.

“I am completely shocked that he has top-weight. He goes there in nearly as good type as he did final 12 months. He’s in nearly as good nick as he was final 12 months, however he is obtained top-weight so make your individual thoughts up.

“I believe he’d must be an distinctive horse to win it with top-weight.”

Reflecting on his earlier Nationwide triumph, Walsh added: “Profitable with Papillon was nice. Profitable the Nationwide is an excellent second, however to have your son on board makes it all of the sweeter.”

Any Second Now could be joined on the head of the weights by Gordon Elliott’s 2022 Irish Gold Cup victor Conflated and Shark Hanlon’s American Grand Nationwide hero Hewick, each of whom are first certain for subsequent month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Slightly below that trio on 11st 11lb are Conflated’s stablemate Galvin and final 12 months’s winner Noble Yeats, skilled by Emmet Mullins.

The latter was final seen ending third within the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and is now heading in the right direction for the Gold Cup earlier than an meant bid for back-to-back wins on Merseyside.

Mullins stated: “I can not complain with a ranking of 166. It is 19lb greater than final 12 months which shall be an enormous ask, however he appears to have progressed nicely this 12 months and we all know he takes to the fences.

“It is horses for programs and fingers crossed he can put up a daring present.”

Noble Yeats will purpose to change into solely the second horse – after Golden Miller in 1934 – to win the Gold Cup and the Grand Nationwide in the identical 12 months.

Mullins, although, isn’t getting forward of himself. “It is undoubtedly one race at a time,” he stated. “You do not consider the accolades but when he’s fortunate sufficient to do it, then he’ll get the accolades that he deserves.

“It is particular to have a horse run in these varieties of races, a Gold Cup or a Grand Nationwide, however to have a horse who you realize is sweet sufficient to compete in them on the enterprise finish – that is the thrilling half and what retains the yard going.

“I might say it hasn’t actually totally sunk in, even now. Profitable the Nationwide on our first attempt within the race, it has in all probability been misplaced on me how a lot goes into it and what number of different years folks have been making an attempt to win the race and never succeeded, so I would say I have been spoilt a bit and it is exhausting to grasp what occurred. I am certain in the future it will hit me.”

Mullins additionally has JP McManus-owned The Shunter (10st 11lb) entered, and added: “That is [weight] about proper. He is nonetheless not certified I believe, on the space, so probably he might need an entry subsequent weekend.

“I’ve two or three races earmarked earlier than the deadline and, fingers crossed, I decide the precise one and get him certified. The intention shall be to take his place then if he will get certified.”

The British Horseracing Authority’s chase handicapper Martin Greenwood is the person charged with framing the weights and is thrilled with the power in depth on this 12 months’s renewal.

He stated: “This 12 months we’re doing nicely on the prime finish for horses rated within the 150s and 160s and there are a handful of excellent horses entered, together with final 12 months’s winner Noble Yeats.

“Noble Yeats has round 20lb greater than final 12 months, however his type this season in Graded races is the rationale for that. The three horses on the prime of the handicap – Conflated, Any Second Now and Hewick – you’ll suppose are all fairly prone to run and it is very constructive that the standard of the race on the prime finish of the handicap is nicely as much as customary.

“There weren’t any horses that brought about me any specific difficulties this 12 months – they had been all kind of easy horses.”

With Henry de Bromhead saying the retirement of 2021 winner Minella Instances, a complete of 77 horses stay in competition. Greenwood instructed the possible ranking required to make the ultimate discipline shall be “round 142 or 143”.

There are three horses rated 142 in Eva’s Oskar, Rapper and Recite A Prayer, who’s 57th on the record. Noble Yeats is the 10-1 favorite with William Hill, who’ve trimmed the percentages of each Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler (10st 5lb) and the Willie Mullins-trained Mr Unbelievable (10st 4lb).

Spokesperson Lee Phelps stated: “Any Second Now seems to be to have been set a tricky job to go one higher than his second-place end final 12 months and because of this he has been eased in our betting to 20-1 from 14-1.

“On the flip aspect each Corach Rambler (14-1 from 16-1) and Mr Unbelievable (20-1 from 25-1) have been clipped by our merchants.

“Corach Rambler represents a yard in Lucinda Russell who has received the race not too long ago and stays unexposed at prolonged journeys, which look prone to swimsuit.

“Mr Unbelievable might find yourself being the all-conquering Willie Mullins’ first string and is unexposed for the yard.”