Sky Bet's racing odds compiler previews the Grand National weights

Sky Bet Head Racing compiler Richard Horner crunches the numbers ahead of the Crabbie's Grand National weights launch.

Big Shu won the cross-country handicap at the Cheltenham Festival last year and is the one to beat in his repeat bid this year but all of his form is over cross-country fences recently. I would guess he will be handicapped on that Cheltenham victory off 136 so give him a mark of 145 for the National which would be a nice weight of around 10st 7lb. My Crabbie's Grand National weights: 11-10 Tidal Bay
11-8 Long Run
11-5 Trio D'Alene
11-4 Rocky Creek
11-2 Hunt Ball
11-0 Katenko
11-0 Roi Du Mee
11-0 Boston Bob
11-0 Wayward Prince
11-0 Teaforthree
10-13 Carlingford Lough
10-13 Cantlow
10-12 Toner D'Oudairies
10-12 Kauto Stone
10-12 Walkon
10-12 Balthazar King
10-11 Mossey Joe
10-11 Bog Warrior
10-11 Colbert Station
10-11 Prince De Beauchene
10-11 Quito De La Roque
10-11 Seabass
10-11 Cape Tribulation
10-10 On His Own
10-10 Rubi Light
10-10 Across The Bay
10-10 Godsmejudge
10-10 Mr Moonshine
10-9 Monbeg Dude
10-9 Planet Of Sound
10-8 Big Shu
10-8 Double Seven
10-8 Battle Group
10-7 Junior
10-7 Buckers Bridge
10-7 Our Father
10-6 Sunnyhillboy
10-6 Hawkes Point
10-6 Sire Collonges
10-6 Vintage Star
10-6 Burton Port
10-6 Massinis Maguire
10-5 Quel Esprit
10-5 Pandorama
10-5 Chance Du Roy
The Rainbow Hunter
10-5 Mountainous
10-5 Home Farm
10-4 Golan Way
10-4 Pineau De Re
10-4 Mon Parrain
10-4 Quantitativeeasing
10-4 Kruzhlinin
10-4 The Package
10-4Pete The Feat
10-3 Shakalakaboomboom
10-3 White Star Line
10-3 Raz De Maree
10-3 Well Refreshed
10-3 Twirling Magnet
10-3 Mart Lane
10-3 Same Difference
10-2 Lion Na Bearnai
10-2 Vesper Bell
10-2 Away We Go
10-2 Last Time D'Albain
10-2 Renard
10-1 Rose Of The Moon
10-1 Tatenen
10-1 Merry King
10-1 Midnight Appeal
10-1 Highland Lodge
10-0 Swing Bill
10-0 Alvarado
10-0 Lost Glory Anyway, having pressed the my owner numbers here are my ante-post thoughts. With older, more-exposed horses doing well in recent years it could be worth taking a couple of stabs at horses at bigger prices. Cape Tribulation: 66/1 in a couple of places:
A winner of 10 of his 38 races, Malcom Jefferson's charge has been a grand servant to the yard and he could have one more big payday in him if on song on the big day. He knows what it takes to win at the big meetings as in 2012 he did a superb double of winning the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham before going on to win the 3m handicap hurdle at Aintree. He has some good form over fences too including an Argento Chase win when giving former Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander weight and a beating. His mark rose to 165 at this best and he has struggled a bit since. However his last run at Wetherby on Boxing Day, when third to Cloudy Too, showed he still has some ability and his mark has now dropped to 149. That would see him with a nice racing weight of around 10st 11lb and confidence would increase if the excellent Denis O'Regan got back on board for the first time this season as he is four from 11 on the horse. Big Shu - 50/1 in a place:
This will depend on what weight he is given but if around the 10st 7lb mark he could well be an interesting runner. A comfortable winner of the cross-country chase at last years Cheltenham Festival he is likely to be very hard to beat again in that race before having a go at the National. In 2007 Silver Birch was runner up in the same race at Prestbury Park before landing the big prize at Aintree. He showed he has come back in good form with a nice reappearance run at Punchestown last week when second to Love Rory and it was very interesting that Paul Carberry rode there as there are not many better jockeys around the big National fences than him. That could suggest Aintree may well be the plan this year after Cheltenham.