Kim Bailey gives Ultima winner Chianti Classico Aintree Grade 1 aim as star-studded entries made for day two of Grand National festival

Chianti Classico: winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase

"He has every right to have a go at it and see where he is"Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Kim Bailey set up a potential clash of three Cheltenham Festival winners on Saturday by revealing that he is likely to raise his sights with possible Gold Cup hope Chianti Classico at the Grand National meeting.

He is eyeing Friday's opening Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase, which could put his improving chaser on a collision course with the similarly progressive pair Grey Dawning and Corbetts Cross.

Chianti Classico gave Britain its only win on the first day of the festival last month when landing the Ultima Handicap Chase by four and a half lengths under David Bass.

Bailey's 2021 Ultima runner-up Happygolucky went on to land a 3m1f handicap chase on Grand National day at Aintree and the trainer said of Chianti Classico: "He'll be entered in the handicap as well but the chances are that he'll end up running on Friday.

"I'll wait to see what's running but he's gone up 11lb. That makes it quite tricky and Aintree is a different racecourse – it's a tighter track and Cheltenham would suit him better. He's only got one more chance to run in a novice chase and he has every right to have a go at it and see where he is."

The 3m1f Mildmay was won by recent Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe last year and Bailey said: "If Chianti Classico is going to be a Gold Cup horse, he has to run in the novice chase. And if we think he's good enough to go up 11lb and still win a handicap, he should run in it anyway.

Gerri Colombe (far side) won the Mildmay last yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"It will be a proper test for him, he'll be 4lb wrong with some of them. It's a big ask and it may be one step too far. If I knew the bet365 Gold Cup was going to be run on soft ground in three weeks' time I'd wait for that but when this weather changes it will change quickly."

Dan Skelton announced previously that he is planning to step Grey Dawning up in trip at Aintree, following his success in the 2m4f Turners Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

The Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross, an impressive 17-length winner of the National Hunt Chase on the same afternoon as Chianti Classico's Ultima success, was also among the 15 horses put in the Mildmay on Saturday but he holds entries in Thursday's Manifesto Novices' Chase and Aintree Bowl as well.

Jonbon could step up in trip in Melling Chase

Ryanair Chase winner Protektorat could face Queen Mother Champion Chase defector Jonbon when he attempts to follow up his Cheltenham success in the My Pension Expert Melling Chase over 2m4f.

Protektorat made a successful step down to this trip when scoring at Cheltenham while Jonbon, who has won at the Grand National meeting in the last two years, has not raced since being beaten at 1-4 at Cheltenham in January, having been pulled out of last month's Champion Chase by Nicky Henderson due to concerns over the health of his string.

Cheltenham Festival winners Slade Steel (Supreme Novices' Hurdle) and Golden Ace (Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle) are in the Trustatrader Top Novices' Hurdle, along with Caldwell Potter, who is set for his first run since becoming the most expensive jumps horse ever sold at public auction when changing hands for €740,000 in February.

Harry Redknapp's Plate winner Shakem Up'Arry is among the horses confirmed for the £150,000 Randox Topham Handicap Chase over 2m5f of the Grand National course.

He is a best-priced 9-1 chance after ante-post favourites Crebilly and In Excelsis Deo were among those taken out on Saturday.

Randox Topham Chase (Aintree 4.05, Friday)

Coral: 8 Your Darling, 9 Bill Baxter, Shakem Up'Arry, 12 Life In The Park, Sail Away, 14 bar

Grand National festival day two entries for the four Grade 1s

Mildmay Novices' Chase

American Mike
Blow Your Wad
Broadway Boy
Chianti Classico
Colonel Harry
Corbetts Cross
Ginny’s Destiny
Giovinco
Grey Dawning
Heart Wood
Inothewayurthinkin
Iroko
Kilbeg King
Outlaw Peter
The King Of Ryhope

William Hill: 5-2 Grey Dawning, 3 Corbetts Cross, 9-2 Inothewayurthinkin, 5 Chianti Classico, Ginny's Destiny, 7 Heart Wood, 8 Giovinco, Broadway Boy, 10 Iroko, 16 bar

Top Novices' Hurdle