JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL, Aintree: Saturday 4 April, 1615 BST
Coverage: Full TV coverage from Aintree on Thursday and Friday on BBC2 and online from 1345, and on Saturday from 1300. Saturday - radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and live text commentary on BBC Sport website & mobiles

Walsh was in outstanding form during Cheltenham week in March

Ruby Walsh will ride My Will in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

Walsh, who had a record seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival in March, had the choice of a clutch of leading contenders for the race.

But he has been booked to partner Paul Nicholls' nine-year-old, who finished fifth to Kauto Star in the Gold Cup.

Cloudy Lane is top weight for the race, in which 74 horses stood their ground following Monday's declarations. A maximum of 40 can run on Saturday.

Snoopy Loopy and Nozic have both been withdrawn from the four-and-a-half mile marathon, moving the weights up by three pounds and leaving the nine-year-old Cloudy Lane to shoulder 11st 10lb.

Trained by Donald McCain, Cloudy Lane was sent off 7-1 joint favourite last year and was sixth behind Comply Or Die.

Former Gold Cup winner War of Attrition was ruled out of the race later on Monday by trainer Mouse Morris.

The 10-year-old was as low as 12-1 with Ladbrokes and had been the subject of a gamble for the race but Morris will now rely on Hear the Echo.

As soon as Ruby made his mind up we knew we'd have to shorten the odds David Williams of Ladbrokes

Comply or Die also stands his ground and David Pipe's runner will attempt to become the first horse since the legendary Red Rum (1973 and '74), trained by McCain's father Ginger, to land back-to-back victories.

As expected, Roll Along, King Johns Castle and Character Building were among the other absentees and Ladbrokes have made My Will their 7-1 favourite.

Spokesman David Williams said: "As soon as Ruby made his mind up we knew we'd have to shorten the odds. Precisely how much faith the public now put in the King of Cheltenham remains to be seen.

"We're now waiting to hear confirmation of Tony McCoy's plans for the National. The same thing will happen to the odds of his mount as soon as the news breaks."

Nigel Twiston-Davies has four horses guaranteed to make the line-up in Knowhere, Ollie Magern, Fundamentalist and Battlecry as the Cotswolds trainer seeks a third triumph after Earth Summit (1998) and Bindaree (2002).

Kilbeggan Blade completed his preparation for the big race by jumping a National-style fence at trainer Tom George's yard on Monday morning.

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"Everything's going according to plan. He had his last school this morning over a National fence and thoroughly enjoyed that. He's ready for it," said the Stroud-based handler.

By taking the ride on My Will, Walsh, the Irish champion jockey, has snubbed the chance to partner Nicholls' Big Fella Thanks, and Southern Vic, trained by his father Ted.

Willie Mullins' Irish Invader was another horse that Walsh could have elected to ride, but his sister Jennifer, who also acts as his agent, confirmed: "Ruby is going to ride My Will.

"He said with the ground the way it is [good, and expected to stay that way], he thinks it will suit him."

My Will is favourite with many bookmakers for the race, though Butler's Cabin - a possible mount for Tony McCoy and trained by Jonjo O'Neill - is also a strong fancy.

Walsh has twice won the Grand National aboard Papillon (2000) and Hedgehunter (2005), while McCoy is waiting for his first success in the Aintree showpiece.

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