Red schools well and gets tops marks from the handicapper

Those backing Definitly Red to give northern jump racing a timely shot in the arm by landing the Randox Health Grand National got a double boost on Tuesday.

The north drew a blank at the Cheltenham Festival last week for the third year in a row but they tend to do better at Aintree and Auroras Encore took the National for Yorkshire in 2013.

The Brian Ellison-trained Definitly Red has been a big fancy for the race since his 14-length victory in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster and he came through a Tuesday morning schooling session in Malton in fine style.

Definitly Red takes it easy after a pre-Aintree schooling sessionCredit: Grossick Racing Photography 0771

His jumping was put to the test over a specially built Aintree-style fence and he delighted big-race jockey Danny Cook with the way he took to the challenge.

"He was brilliant, awesome," Ellison said. "I was delighted with him, it could not have gone better. His owner Phil Martin wasn't there but he's coming up on Friday and we'll school him again then."

Definitly Red had been a 33-1 chance when the weights were published but is now 12-1 second favourite with Betway, Aintree's official betting partner.

And BHA handicapper Phil Smith revealed he is officially the best treated of the 79 horses left in the National after Tuesday's second scratchings stage.

He is 10lb well in according to Smith's figures, with Vieux Lion Rouge and Saphir Du Rheu both rated 6lb higher than their original marks.

But Smith warned punters not to ignore Cause Of Causes and said: "He won the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham and I put him back up 5lb, so he's 5lb well in.

"The question is how valid is a Cross Country run in terms of the Grand National, but Gordon Elliott has 'previous' as Silver Birch ran second in the Cross Country, came here 10lb well in and won the race."

Bar Minella Rocco, there were few shocks among the 16 horses taken out of the National on Tuesday, eight of whom would definitely have got a run in the race.

Their absence guarantees Kim Muir Fulke Walwyn Chase runner-up Pendra a place in the field. He is joint 40th in the list but is rated the highest of those on 10st 7lb thanks to his Cheltenham effort.

Randox Health Grand National card and betting