Iris De Balme, the star of Sean Curran’s Hatford stables, near Stanford in the Vale, is set to take the first step on the road to Aintree when he makes his long-awaited comeback at Wetherby on Saturday.

The ten-year-old, a shock 66-1 winner of the 2008 Coral Scottish Grand National, was among the 112 entries revealed yesterday for the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday, April 10.

Sidelined mainly with a tendon injury since finishing fourth in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown two years ago, Iris De Balme has been entered in a novices’ hurdle at the west Yorkshire track this weekend.

The gelding had been due to return in the Welsh National at Christmas, but was withdrawn due to the heavy ground, and a run over hurdles at Doncaster last weekend was scuppered when the meeting was lost to frost.

Now Curran is hoping it will be third time lucky as he attempts to get his star back on the track, before a crack at the totesport.com Eider Chase at Newcastle on Saturday, February 27 – and then hopefully the National.

“I know it's a hurdle race, but I need to get a run under his belt,” said Curran “It will blow the cobwebs away and give me nearly three weeks to get him ready for the Eider Chase.”

The National entries also include Peter Marsh Chase runner-up Palypso De Creek, from Charlie Longsdon’s Hull Farm stables, near Chipping Norton.

Mark Bradstock has entered Cossack Dancer from his Letcombe Bassett yard, near Wantage, while Robert Waley-Cohen, who is based at Edge Hill, near Banbury, has Roulez Cool in the line-up.

John Smith’s Grand National (Ladbrokes odds): 16-1 Trickey Trickster, 20-1 Black Apalachi, Big Fella Thanks, Niche Market, Possol, 25-1 Backstage, Character Building, Comply Or Die, Mon Mome, State Of Play, Vic Venturi, 33-1 Dream Alliance, Taranis, War Of Attrition, 40-1 others.