AP McCoy believes Many Clouds deserves to be Grand National favourite

And jockey and trainer also very happy with form of 2015 winner

Leighton Aspell leaps over the water jump on Many Clouds at last year's Grand National (Getty)

Sir Anthony McCoy believes this year’s Grand National has one of the highest quality line-ups he has seen in the Aintree race but admits that the 2015 winner, Many Clouds, is rightly at the shortest odds.

“It’s a classy Grand National,” McCoy said. “There are a lot of good horses but Many Clouds [8-1] deserves to be the favourite - his performance at Kelso [last time he ran in March] was great and the one thing he does is he stays and stays and stays.”

McCoy faded to finish fifth on Shutthefrontdoor in his final Grand National last year. So does he not fancy the horse that for a long time looked like it might take him to the fairytale career finale so many people wished for? “I don’t know,” he said. “Shutthefrontdoor just got a bit tired at the end last year having not run for a long time. He was a bit disappointing at Newbury [last month]. He had a few problems with his feet but he’s had a better preparation this year.

“But it is a better National than for a long time with the likes of Paul Nicholls’ Silviniaco Conti [10-1], Jonjo O’Neill’s Holywell [14-1] is well handicapped and could win it. You can even look down at Sir Des Champs [40-1]. If I could get Holywell up and over Becher’s Brook I’d know if he had the bottle for it or not. That’s the problem.”

Leighton Aspell, Many Clouds’ jockey, is delighted with the form of his mount as he looks to repeat last year’s victory and become the first man to win the National in three consecutive years having also ridden to glory on Pineau de Re in 2014. “Kelso was enough of a test for Many Clouds,” he said. “It wasn’t the easiest going as only seven days before it had been abandoned [due to waterlogging].”

His trainer, Oliver Sherwood, agrees: “We are really happy with him,” he said. “Kelso was pretty much automatic gear for him. He’s pretty fit. It’s just a question of keeping him mentally straight. We’ll take him over some fences on Wednesday as part of the build up. We are very happy with him and feel he’s coming right at the right time.”

Another reason for the confidence in the Aspell camp is that he doubts the staying power of second favourite Silviniaco Conti. “I’d have big doubts about Silviniaco going the trip,” last year's winner said. “Whether he can make it four and half miles, I don't know.”