Many Clouds will carry top weight in his attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the Grand National since the great Red Rum.

The Oliver Sherwood-trained jumper carried 11st 9lb (74kg) to victory last year and goes up 1lb (0.5kg).

The Willie Mullins-trained Don Poli, who is among the leading contenders for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is next on the list on 11st 9lb with Paul Nicholls' Silviniaco Conti, a dual King George VI Chase winner on 11st 8lb.

Red Rum completed his Grand National double in 1974.

"Many Clouds heads to Kelso on March 5," trainer Oliver Sherwood said.

"That gives us five weeks to get him ready for Aintree. This time last year the Gold Cup was the main event and we were not even thinking of the National, it was an afterthought.

"To be mentioned in the same phrase as Red Rum is just unreal."