MASTER OATHS was yesterday awarded top-weight in the Grand National for the second year running. The 10-year-old was seventh under 11st l0lb at Aintree last term and will carry the same weight again if he contests the world's most famous steeplechase on March 30th.

There had been speculation that last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner would be allocated a higher weight this year, in order to allow more runners into the handicap for the £200,000-added event.

But when the weights were unveiled in London yesterday, the Kim Bailey-trained gelding was on 11st 10lb - the same mark as the top-weight has received in the original handicap in five of the last seven years.

Master Oats shared his position at the top with subsequently-scratched The Fellow 12 months ago but is joined only by the automatic top-weight Sylver Dargent this year and is rated 6lb higher than the next best entries.