• 13mm in one day at Aintree with more forecast
• Trainer of Le Beau Bai enthused by chance of soft going
Saturday's Grand National is expected to be run in the most testing conditions for more than a decade after a band of wet weather hit the Liverpool area on Monday, with further rain still forecast to come this week. Not since Red Marauder's famously muddy victory over Smarty in 2001 on heavy going have conditions for the famous race been slower than good to soft.
Aintree's clerk of the course, Andrew Tulloch, was forced to change the official going description to soft, good to soft in places, with more rain due on Tuesdayon Tuesday before drier weather arrives towards the end of the week.
"It certainly could have been worse, as a little further south they have had much heavier rain, but we've had at least 13mm of steady drizzle and, looking at the radar, there should be more to come on Tuesday with further possible showers on Wednesday and Thursday," said Tulloch.
"The grass is in excellent condition, partly as a result of the warm winter we had, and that makes a difference, as it will help soak up a lot of the moisture.
"But the going is already soft in most places on the National course and we're definitely looking at conditions being on the slow side. We've been aiming to get something between good and good to soft and the hope is that we pull that off. If it's good to soft on the day, with maybe a few softer places, I'll be happy enough."
News of the arrival of rain was welcomed by Richard Lee, whose Welsh National winner Le Beau Bai will line up only if conditions are suitably attritional.
"It can't be wet enough for him, it's as simple as that," said the trainer. "I hope it rains and rains and rains. When they have three inspections in the morning before letting racing go ahead, we'll be pleased with that. Charlie [Poste] will ride him and I saw him have a winner at Huntingdon this afternoon, so he's coming into the race in form, too."
A total of 11 horses were taken out of the race at Monday's entry stage, with 48 standing their ground. Only 40 will be allowed to take part, with the lowest-weighted being balloted out after Thursday's final entry stage.
"We hadn't thought too much about the race until now but it looks like he'll make it," said Kristian Strangeway from the Koo's Racing Club syndicate that owns Neptune Equester. The horse needs just two more rivals to be withdrawn in order to secure a guaranteed run.
"He's a safe jumper, who will pop round and he will stay the trip well, so some give in the ground should give us a small chance. He'll be held up and we'll try to pick them off as his stamina kicks in or, as a friend of mine joked, stay back and run through the holes made in the fences made by others."
Strangeway added that Neptune Equester was for sale, in shares or in full, while the David Pipe-trained Swing Bill is also on the market for those looking to buy an outside chance of snatching some of the £975,000 prize money.
Felix de Giles has been booked for the ride aboard Neptune Equester, his first mount in the race, while Sean Quinlan will also make his National debut aboard the Kim Bailey-trained Midnight Haze.
Tim Vaughan said he was considering his options for the outsider Postmaster. "We might be interested in one of the bigger names from the weighing room if they were available," he said.