Ratings Update: Aintree Definitly the plan for Ellison's Red

For want of a better phrase, this period is very much the calm before the storm in the world of National Hunt racing and there have been few performance of note in the last week as trainer's save their very best horses for the big spring festivals.

The Grand National is one race that can make a trainer forego a run at Cheltenham, though, and Brian Ellison opted to complete the Aintree preparation of Definitly Red (up 5 lb to c158) at Doncaster on Saturday instead. He produced a very smart performance to forge 14 lengths clear of The Last Samuri (remains on c163) in the Grimthorpe Chase and looks firmly on the upgrade as he heads to Aintree. He is obviously very well-treated now with the Grand National weights already out, but that will be an altogether different test with regards both stamina and jumping, and it is worth noting that he has rather been found out jumping-wise on both occasions he has faced large fields over fences. The Last Samuri also heads to the National next, but is now 12 lb higher than when second last year.

Mount Mews (h138p) will also make his next start at Aintree's Grand National meeting and certainly deserves a chance against better quality opposition, having run out a dominant winner of a Grade 2 at Kelso on Saturday. He didn't need to improve in a race where his rivals all failed to give their true running, but his impressive cruising speed should continue to stand him in good stead and Mount Mews is certainly one to look out for in the Grade 1 novice trainer Malcolm Jefferson won with Cyrus Darius in 2015.

The listed Premier Chase was the main supporting race at Kelso on Saturday and looked a high-quality renewal, with Tenor Nivernais (remains on c159) and Le Mercurey (down 2 lb to c153) among a five-strong field. However, they had to settle for minor honours behind the wide-margin winner Seldom Inn (c145+ from c137). He is a useful chaser on his day, but may have been flattered by the bare result at the weekend, and is likely to pay for that effort with a significant hike in the weights. 

Meanwhile, Thomas Crapper (up 12 lb to c142) proved beter than ever when winning the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday and could now head for the Topham Chase at Aintree. He still holds entries in the Brown Advisory Plate and the Martin Pipe at the Festival, but is unlikely to make the cut for the former, even under a penalty, and is likely to need more time after a hard race in testing conditions in any case.

Le Breuil (up 2 lb to h133p) is another that could yet take his chance at Cheltenham, having maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles with a dominant success at Newbury last Friday. He impressed with how resolutely he kept on galloping after the runner-up challenged, and is entered in both the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett, with the longer trip of the latter unlikely to be a problem given how strongly he stayed on to score last time. Trainer Ben Pauling is keen to see how he comes out of the race before committing to the Festival, though, with Aintree likely to be on his agenda should he need more time.

Le Breuil could clash with Debece (up 19 lb to h137) if lining up on Merseyside. Debece was an impressive winner of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle on the same card at Newbury and will also be suited by a step up in trip, with the Grade 1 novice over three miles at Aintree mentioned as a possible target.

Finally, the likes of Djakadam and Yorkhill completed their Festival preparations in a schooling session after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday, but there was also plenty of pointers for the future to be taken from the action on an interesting card. Indeed, Great Field (up 2 lb to c149p) showed himself to be another exciting prospect for the Willie Mullins yard when winning the novice chase and has earned a crack at something better, while the 12-year-old Hidden Cyclone (remains on h150x) defied his advancing years to record a popular victory in the opening conditions hurdle.