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

McCoy will ride his 2008 National mount, Butler's Cabin again

Champion jockey Tony McCoy has opted to ride Butler's Cabin in Saturday's prestigious Grand National at Aintree.

McCoy fell from the horse last year and had been deliberating which mount he would take for boss JP McManus.

The top 40 in the handicap all stood their ground at the final declaration stage with Zabenz lightest at 10st 5lb.

Cloudy Lane has the burden of top-weight under 11st 10lb, while last year's winner Comply Or Die, trained by David Pipe, shoulders 11st 6lb.

Ante-post favourite My Will (11st 4lb) is one of four runners for champion trainer Paul Nicholls, with Eurotrek (11st 3lb), Big Fella Thanks (11st 1lb) and Cornish Sett (10st 10lb) all lining up.

Becher Chase winner Black Apalachi carries 11st 5lb along with former Irish Grand National winner Hear The Echo, who has replaced War Of Attrition, while leading fancy Rambling Minster has 10st 9lb.

606: DEBATE Two trained by Paul Nicholls - My Will and Big Fella Thanks - require plenty of respect, but the lightly-raced DARKNESS, who loves good ground, is the selection BBC Sport's Oliver Brett

Butler's Cabin, trained by Jonjo O'Neill in Gloucestershire, was travelling superbly for McCoy last year before the pair parted company in an uncharacteristic fall at Becher's Brook on the second circuit.

But the 13-time champion jockey, who has failed to win the world's most famous steeplechase in 13 previous attempts, will take his chances again.

"Tony decided to go with Butler's Cabin and all four horses will run," said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.

"Robert Thornton will ride L'Ami, Noel Fehily rides Can't Buy Time and Mark Walsh rides Reveillez."

Ireland based L'Ami is a 20-1 shot despite a fine season, mainly becuase of a history of poor jumping.

L'Ami was another to fall in the 2008 National, only making it as far as the second fence and ending the riding career of Mick Fitzgerald with a crashing fall.

It has been a dry week, and there isn't any sign of rain coming before Friday, so we will continue to selectively water the Mildmay and Hurdle courses where needed. Andrew Tulloch - Clerk of the course

Trainer Charles Egerton has replaced jockey Dominic Elsworth for the ride on leading fancy Darkness.

Elsworth has not ridden in a race since falling at Towcester a week ago and Egerton has replaced him with Wayne Hutchinson.

"On Tuesday evening Dominic said he was hoping to ride on Friday but he was only going to have a couple of rides, so I took the view that I couldn't take the risk," said Egerton.

"There is only one Grand National and I have to make a decision that is in the best interests of the horse and the owner.

"It's incredibly bad luck on Dominic and I feel very sorry for him."

Elsworth was understandably disappointed with the news and admitted: "I'm gutted because I turned down two other rides in the race.

"I'm fit and I'm booked to ride for Lucy Wadham at Aintree on Friday."

Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said conditions on the Grand National course were expected to be good, good-to-soft in places.

He said: "We are forecast to receive some rain on Friday night which is either going to be 1-2mm or 4-5mm depending on who you listen to.

"It has been a dry week, and there isn't any sign of rain coming before Friday, so we will continue to selectively water the Mildmay and Hurdle courses where needed."

The official going for the Mildmay and Hurdle courses is good.

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