LO STREGONE was the chief mover in the betting yesterday for the Aintree Grand National following the news that Rough Quest will miss the race while Jodami and last year's winner Royal Athlete are also very doubtful.

Peter Beaumont gloomily admitted he was losing his race against time to get Jodami fit for Aintree and said: "It's not definite at the moment, but the National is only a week on Saturday and we're just running out of time. The entries for the Irish National are on Wednesday and we'll put him in. It's more than likely he'll run there." If the former Gold Cup winner takes the Irish option, he is likely to come up against the Cheltenham Gold Cup runner up Rough Quest, declared a likely runner in the Fairyhouse contest on April 8th by his trainer Terry Casey on Sunday.

Mark Pitman added Royal Athlete to the doubtful list yesterday when he conceded: "We have been held up with him and are running short of time. It is odds against him running, but we will make a decision later in the week. He has always been a difficult horse to train throughout his career, so we don't make plans for him." So Tom Tate is saddled with the pressure of handling the National favourite, his gelding, gritty victor of the Greenalls Grand National Trial at Haydock on his last start, is now as short as 6 to 1 with William Hill for the Aintree spectacular.

If Peter Beaumont's doubts over Jodami prove to have foundation. Young Hustler will be saddled with top weight of 11st 7lb leaving Lo Stregone just 2lb into the long handicap on 9.12.