National contender Definitly fancies Kelso warm-up

Trainer Brian Ellison says he is favouring sending Grand National contender Definitly Red to Kelso for his final Aintree preparation run.

The 11-year-old was included in the list of 89 entries for the world-famous steeplechase at the latest declaration stage on Tuesday and is generally regarded as having a chance of being in contention for the Merseyside marathon race.

Ellison has been weighing up where to send his charge for his last outing before the National and had been considering sending him to Doncaster this Saturday for the 888Sport Grimthorpe Chase.

However, the Yorkshire handler has indicated he will instead go for the William Hill Premier Chase at Kelso, believing that provides a more suitable examination of Definitly Red’s National credentials.

‘At the moment I’m thinking Kelso,’ said Ellison.

‘We’ll monitor the weather but I don’t want to get a hard slog into him before the National.

‘We know it’s going to be heavy at Kelso but I don’t think there will be many runners.

He’s in great form and I’m really happy with him.

It’s all geared to the National.

‘ The going at Kelso is currently heavy, soft in places, but the track is expected to dry out in the coming days with the weather forecast to be dry until Saturday.

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