English Racing Grand NationalMonty's Pass needs to be "another Red Rum" if he is to win the Martell Cognac Grand National for the second year running, according to owner Mike Futter.

The popular bingo-hall proprietor was reported to have won tens of thousands of pounds after backing his charge to win the world's most famous race at Aintree last April.

But as the weights were unveiled for this year's contest, the final under the Martell banner, in London yesterday, Futter was not dipping into his pocket to back his charge again.

In fact, he reportedly ended up backing two other horses in the same race, with at least one bookmaker claiming to have laid bets of £5,000 each-way about Hedgehunter and outsider Be My Manager. Futter said he had anticipated that Monty's Pass would be allotted something in the region of 11st, by his own calculations. But when he arrived he was disappointed to see that handicapper Phil Smith had given Jimmy Mangan's charge 11st 7lb.

"By my reckoning, I had thought top-weight First Gold would be giving at least 7lb to everything else, but the weights are all closed up," said Futter.

"He'd have to be another Red Rum to carry all that weight - horses that carry 11-7 don't win Nationals. Although he will be running, I won't be backing him now."

The unveiling of the weights has seen a host of moves in ante-post markets. The Willie Mullins-trained Hegdehunter (10st 9lb) has shot to the forefront of William Hill's betting and is now clear favourite at 12 to 1, having been cut from 14s.

Ted Walsh's Rince Ri (11st 10lb) has eased a couple of points to 14 to 1, and they have also cut the Dessie Hughes-trained Timbera (10st 5lb) to 25 to 1 from 33s.