Willie Mullins has confirmed that he will not be taking a huge number of runners to the Grand National Festival at Aintree.

Mullins has a large number of competitors at Aintree last season, but that was largely due to the fact he was competing with Paul Nicholls for the British trainers’ title.

“I normally don’t have a big team at Aintree. Last year we were (going for the trainers’ title) but this year we are reverting to normal,” Mullins told the Irish Independent.

“We’ll run a couple in the National, Pleasant Company and Alelchi Inois.

“We could have a bumper horse and possibly something in the Aintree Hurdle.

“Footpad is maybe more Punchestown-bound. For Nichols Canyon, we are looking at Punchestown and the race in America (Calvin Houghland Iroquois) in May, in which he ran last year.

“I imagine the juveniles will be kept for Punchestown.”