Reserve bench for Moor Lane

One-time favourite Moor Lane is poised to miss Saturday's Martell Grand National after failing to make the cut at today's 48-hour declaration stage. A maximum field of 40, headed by Marlborough on 11st 12lb, will take part in Liverpool's world-famous chase.

There is now only an extreme outside possibility the Ian Balding-trained chaser will be able to take part in the race that has been his target all season. Moor Lane was named second reserve, meaning his supporters need two of the 40 eligible horses to drop out before tomorrow's final 9.30am deadline.

For once, punters may be wishing a plague of frogs on Pond House Stables.

Multiple champion trainer Martin Pipe continues his scattergun assault on the National with eight of his horses - including Tony McCoy's mount, Blowing Wind - declared for the 4m 4f event.

Aintree's reserve system ensures a maximum field. Browjoshy is first reserve - if one horse, from current bottom-weight Supreme Charm upwards, is for some reason withdrawn, the Mark Pitman-trained chaser will line up alongside stablemate and last year's runner-up, Smarty.

Even if, as suggested, Balding opted to sacrificially withdraw Moor Lane's stablemate, Logician - who made the cut on 10 stone - he would still need another horse to drop out.

The Pipe-trained Dark Stranger is third reserve and Amberleigh House fourth. The latter's handler Ginger McCain - best known as the man who saddled the great Red Rum to a record trio of National triumphs in 1973-4 and 1977 - has already hit out at the qualification process.

He believes Amberleigh House should have been given an automatic place after winning the Becher Chase over a short course of the formidable National fences last November. But Aintree officials believe this risks devaluing the standard of participants in certain years.