Jason Maguire guides Cloudy Lane to victory at Doncaster

Cloudy Lane looks certain to start favourite for Saturday's Grand National with the field of 40 now confirmed.

The eight-year-old could be one of the shortest market-leaders of the race, as trainer Donald McCain tries to continue the family's Aintree legacy.

His father, Ginger, saddled four National winners - triple hero Red Rum and Amberleigh House four years ago.

Cornish Rebel and Ollie Magern have been pulled out of the race, handing starts to Philson Run and Dun Doire.

Ollie Magern had one of the highest weights in the race but trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies pulled him out on Wednesday after he reported lame.

The only other absentee from the top 40 in the handicap was Cornish Rebel.

Trainer Lisa Williamson said of her gelding, who had been a big outsider in the ante-post market: "Unfortunately he's just got a problem with one of his feet.

"It is just something minor, but it is enough to stop us running on Saturday.

606: DEBATE I'll be hoping that one of Madison Du Berlais, Philson Run and Snowy Morning manage to win it BBC Sport's Rishi Persad

"We'll just give him a few days and try to get him sound again.

"I've taken him out of the Scottish National as he was out of the handicap there."

Connections of Dun Doire breathed a sigh of relief as the nine-year-old got the final guaranteed place.

Trainer Tony Martin said: "It's a big relief all right. We've been training him for this race for the whole year.

"I'm very happy with him and he's as good as we can have him. If he gets luck in-running hopefully he'll put up a good show.

"We haven't over-raced him. He's had a couple of runs over hurdles and he was second in a chase the last time.

"He's well, he's fresh and he's going there off an ideal preparation. I hope he's good enough to run a good race."

He was jumping well last year and he just got a bit spooked by a loose horse at Becher's Bewleys Berry's owner Graham Wylie

Bewleys Berry fell at Becher's on the second circuit last year but Howard Johnson's charge has got round the famous course twice when finishing runner-up in the last two renewals of the Becher Chase.

Owner Graham Wylie believes the 10-year-old could go close, granted a clear round.

"He's never been fitter, according to Howard, and has been to the beach nearby for a tank along the water's edge," he said.

"You need to be very lucky, as always, in the National. He was jumping well last year and he just got a bit spooked by a loose horse at Becher's second time around and crumpled on landing."

There are four reserves - Ardaghey, Joes Edge, In The High Grass and Ossmoses.

A reserve will be able to take the place of a horse declared a non-runner by 0930 BST on Friday.

Hedgehunter, the 2005 winner, and Hi Cloy remain top of the weights on 11st 12lb.

But Cloudy Lane continues to attract huge support from punters.

Donald McCain said on Monday: "He's come out of his last race well. He had a little quiet spell but he's been back in fast work a while now and he's in really good order.

"He's in great nick and a bit of sun has made a great difference to all the horses and he's certainly appreciated it.

"His form has surprised me a little bit. We always thought he was a good horse but he has just kept on improving.

"Everything we have thrown at him he has done but he faces his biggest task now." ow side of good, which would be perfect."

The local weather forecast is for mainly dry conditions until race day, ensuring the good ground that would be ideal for Cloudy Lane.

Latest odds
5-1 Cloudy Lane
10-1 Comply or Die, Slim Pickings
12-1 Simon
14-1 Bewleys Berry, Chelsea Harbour, Butler's Cabin
20-1 Bar
Odds are a guide for information purposes only

2008 Grand National Entries

Form Horse Age Weight Trainer

2/500-P502 HEDGEHUNTER (IRE) 12 11-12 Willie Mullins IRE

P-262514 HI CLOY (IRE) 11 11-12 Michael Hourigan IRE

U-135P16 KNOWHERE (IRE) 10 11-11 Nigel Twiston-Davies

5/122-416 MR POINTMENT (IRE) 9 11-11 Paul Nicholls

210P-P123 TURKO (FR) 6 11-10 Paul Nicholls

03-4425 MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 7 11-09 David Pipe

11F-52U4 SIMON 9 11-07 John Spearing

1120-1P OPERA MUNDI (FR) 6 11-06 Paul Nicholls

r416F5PP IRON MAN (FR) 7 11-05 Peter Bowen

6P-2412103 FUNDAMENTALIST (IRE) 10 11-04 Nigel Twiston-Davies

43011-303 BUTLER'S CABIN (FR) 8 11-03 Jonjo O'Neill

F53-62S5 SLIM PICKINGS (IRE) 9 11-03 Tom Taaffe IRE

4P3F6514 CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) 8 11-02 Tom Mullins IRE

400-01105 VODKA BLEU (FR) 9 11-02 David Pipe

00-63003 L'AMI (FR) 9 11-01 Francois Doumen FR

124-F1133 SNOWY MORNING (IRE) 8 11-01 Willie Mullins IRE

P/420F-2P BEWLEYS BERRY (IRE) 10 11-00 Howard Johnson

2P0450-0P CONTRABAND 10 11-00 Paul Murphy

410612-00 MCKELVEY (IRE) 9 11-00 Peter Bowen

P-20030 JOAACI (IRE) 8 10-13 David Pipe

2-0000403 POINT BARROW (IRE) 10 10-13 Patrick Hughes IRE

PP2-P014 D'ARGENT (IRE) 11 10-12 Alan King

30-434P NO FULL (FR) 7 10-12 Eoin Doyle IRE

3-F106P0 BAILY BREEZE (IRE) 9 10-11 Mouse Morris IRE

522-360P BOB HALL (IRE) 7 10-11 Jonjo O'Neil

201U-5111 CLOUDY LANE 8 10-11 Donald McCain Jnr

U22P-2221 KING JOHNS CASTLE (IRE) 9 10-11 Arthur Moore IRE

422434-P36 MON MOME (FR) 8 10-11 Venetia Williams

026-2P0 CORNISH SETT (IRE) 9 10-10 Paul Nicholls

PP-104329 NAUNTON BROOK 9 10-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies

554-50626 TUMBLING DICE (IRE) 9 10-10 Tom Taaffe IRE

FP/24/0-14 BACKBEAT (IRE) 11 10-09 Howard Johnson

6/4P/-0P21 COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) 9 10-09 David Pipe

UU-20U505 IDLE TALK (IRE) 9 10-09 Donald McCain Jnr

2P-4300F2 KELAMI (FR) 10 10-09 Francois Doumen FR

11305-540 MILAN DEUX MILLE (FR) 6 10-09 David Pipe

3PF-013P NADOVER (FR) 7 10-09 Charlie Mann

0-564420 BLACK APALACHI (IRE) 9 10-08 Dessie Hughes IRE

1P6/04-2B PHILSON RUN (IRE) 12 10-08 Nick Williams

0F251P-062 DUN DOIRE (IRE) 9 10-07 Tony Martin IRE

62-166P0P ARDAGHEY (IRE) 9 10-07 Nigel Twiston-Davies

06/001P-U0 JOES EDGE (IRE) 11 10-07 Ferdy Murphy

43-63030 IN THE HIGH GRASS (IRE) 7 10-06 Tom Taaffe IRE

312/452-6 OSSMOSES (IRE) 11 10-06 Don Forster