Shropshire's Le Beau will not run in Grand National

Shropshire Grand National hope Le Beau Bai was today withdrawn from Saturday's Aintree spectacle.

Richard Lee, who trains on the south Shropshire border at Byton, made the decision shortly before the final declaration stage at 10am this morning after consulting with the horse's four owners.

Le Beau Bai had been trying to seal a famous double after winning the Welsh National at Chepstow in December.

But there has been insufficient rain on Merseyside to consider sending the nine-year-old to post.

"We are not running," said Lee. "My daughter Kerry walked the track yesterday and they have prepared perfect ground.

"But it's not perfect for us because we need soft or heavy. If it had rained like it did on Monday we would have been fine, but it hasn't.

"It's very disappointing because it would have been great to send him there."

That will leave Shropshire with just one representative in Saturday's big race field of 40, the John Hales owned Neptune Collonges.