McCoy tips old boss Jonjo for the Grand National

SIR Anthony McCoy reckons old boss Jonjo o’neill has another great chance of winning the Crabbie’s Grand national after the weights for this season’s race on April 9 were unveiled.

the retired 20-time champion jockey nominated Shutthefrontdoor, his final mount in the race when fifth to Many Clouds last year, and o’neill-trained Grade one-winning stablemate holywell as the horses he would like to be with if he was still riding.

Shutthefrontdoor is due to carry 10st 11lb, 5lb less than last year, while holywell, who has yet to sparkle this season but was fourth in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has a tempting 10st 12lb.

McCoy (right), whose 2010 Grand national winner Don’t Push It was trained by o’neill, said: ‘I think Shutthefrontdoor will run well again and I like holywell. If he is in a good frame of mind, he is a very capable horse.’

Shutthefrontdoor, whose one run this season was a third place over hurdles at Aintree in november, has entries at haydock and Ascot on Saturday but is not certain to run.

While holywell, who needs to bounce back from being pulled up behind Ziga Boy in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster, is heading to the Cheltenham Festival.

o’neill said: ‘ I’d like to get two runs into Shutthefrontdoor before the national and you can draw a line through holywell’s last run.

‘ he’s always been a monkey. they went off a million miles an hour, he got left behind and he said no thank you.’

holywell is among a clutch for the £1million chase who have dropped significantly down the weights from their peaks. others include 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner long Run (10st 8lb). now trained by owner Robert Waley-Cohen, he has yet to run this season but is a massive 33lb down from his top rating. handicapper Phil Smith has given Many Clouds top weight of 11st 10lb, a pound

more than the oliver Sherwood-trained gelding carried to victory 12 months ago.

he has also clobbered houblon Des obeaux (11st 5lb) with a 14lb rise for winning the Denman Chase at newbury on Saturday.

the high quality of entries for the chase, run this year at the later time of 5.15pm, means Kerry lee’s Welsh national winner Mountainous (10st 1lb) is not guaranteed to make the final 40 starters but 2014 winner Pineau De Re (10st 2lb) should make the cut.