Will it be third time lucky for gallant Gesskille round Aintree for in-form training duo?

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This has already been a thrilling spring for the training duo of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, winners at the Cheltenham Festival with Iroko, but it may still get even better. Among their runners for the Randox Grand National meeting next week is Gesskille, who has gradually worked his way to the top of the betting for the Topham.

As most of you will be aware, this is one of three races run over the famous green fences next week, the other one being the Foxhunters'. Not every horse takes to the unusual obstacles but such concerns don't apply to Gesskille, who has put up two of his best three performances around the massive two-mile circuit.

Unfortunately, he didn't win either time. In the Grand Sefton in November and then again in the Becher the following month, Gesskille travelled beautifully throughout but found just one rival too strong on each occasion.

"He ran a cracker both times," Greenall tells the Front Runner. "It was bloody frustrating." 

He's referring in particular to the Grand Sefton, in which Gesskille was reeling in Al Dancer all the way to the line but came up short by a nose. Most neutrals would have seen it as the right result, given that the trainer and owner of Al Dancer had been in a helicopter crash just days before. Still, it's no fun to be on the wrong end of such narrow reverses.

On the other hand, there is lots of fun to be had with a proper Aintree horse and Gesskille looks like that. He can be slow to warm up in his races but you have to love the way he hugged the inside rail down the far end of the course in both November and December, making up ground over both the Foinavon fence and the Canal Turn. In the Grand Sefton, he was ninth on the approach to Becher's but was fifth to reach Valentine's moments later.

"This has been the plan," says Greenall. He concedes Gesskille was disappointing when last seen at Doncaster but that was only three weeks after the Becher and the horse has hopefully benefited from a break.

"He seemed to love the fences the twice he's been round there. He seems really, really well. I think going hunter chasing last season just sparked him up and he's enjoying going racing again."

Rain is due at Aintree in the middle of this week, which would suit Gesskille. "He's quite versatile with the ground. It'll probably suit him if it was a little bit softer but I don't think it matters too much.

"He probably wants three miles, so if it was slower ground it would just slow them up a bit and help him find his rhythm. If it is fairly quick ground, they can go quick round there."

The last of the 10-1 was wiped off the boards by the major firms yesterday, leaving Gesskille alone at the top of the Topham betting on 9-1. It so happens that the next two, both still on 10-1, are Al Dancer and Ashtown Lad, the two that beat him in the autumn.

That might lull you into thinking this will be a good race for the home team but perhaps the betting hasn't taken sufficient notice of the strength of the Irish entry.  Eighteen of the top 30 in the weights are Irish-trained and Willie Mullins (who has won two of the last three Tophams) has the top six, so he'll have significant influence over the final shape of the field.

If Gesskille came out on top this time, it would mean the world to Greenall, whose family has longstanding connections with Aintree. His father was chairman there from 1989, when Greenall was three years old, to 2014.

"I was brought up about 20 miles from the track," Greenall says, recalling that he and his siblings were ritually taken to the Thursday of the Grand National meeting when young. His first visit on Grand National day was not brilliantly timed, as it turned out to be the year when the race was postponed by a bomb scare. By the time the race was actually started two days later, Greenall was back at school.

He and Guerriero will have other runners at next week's meeting, including their festival winner, Iroko, being aimed at the Sefton Novices' Hurdle. He also mentions Homme Public, being aimed at a handicap hurdle. 

In the long term, he would obviously love to have a runner in the National itself. "We're definitely starting to get a nicer horse. It's still early days. We're getting older and better horses as we go."

What was it like to win the Martin Pipe with Iroko? "It was massive. It was never really a plan. We always thought he was a nice horse, to go and win so well both times at Wetherby. Mr McManus then was keen to go straight to Cheltenham. We probably would have gone somewhere like Haydock, maybe stayed a little bit low-key. We were a bit worried he wouldn't be as well handicapped as some of the Irish horses.

"It was just a joy, really. Coming down the hill, he lost his position and looked to have no chance. Going to the last, it looked like he might be placed. Then he just motored up the hill.

"It was a surreal experience just to have a runner there. To win was pretty special."

Monday's picks

Some talented types go to Ludlow for the Boyne Cup, including Annsam and Bobhopeornohope, who played prominent parts at Kempton in February in the race once known as the Racing Post Chase and now sponsored by Coral.

This is end of term stuff for both of them and I'd be a bit surprised if they're up to winning on soft ground under big weights after such a proper test 37 days ago. Dibble Decker comes here as the winner of his last two and will be popular but he now steps up in trip and onto a softer surface, which is an unattractive combination for a horse who was tired and clinging on to a narrow lead when last seen.

Le Cameleon (3.00) is the one, having scored over course and distance just a month ago, despite which he's available at 7-1. He was strong at the line that day on just his second try at three miles and is only 4lb higher.

Le Cameleon15:00 Ludlow

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Jky: David Noonan Tnr: Jane Williams

The concern would be the form of the Jane Williams stable, which has been up and down through the winter. There were signs that the corner had been turned but there were one or two disappointments last week, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Le Cameleon threw in a modest effort but there's margin for error in his odds.

At 5-2, Hardy Fella (3.30) looks the one in the following race as he makes his handicap debut. He ran well behind a Paul Nicholls hotpot at Wincanton last time and the winner is now rated 135, having won a £20,000 prize at Kempton.

Hardy Fella15:30 Ludlow

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Jky: Tom Bellamy Tnr: Emma Lavelle

Our Monday man has tipped four winners in his last two columns - find his latest selections here  

Three things to look out for today . . .

1. Tom Symonds is among the hotter trainers in Britain just now, with two winners from seven runners in the past fortnight, and his only representative at Ascot on Sunday ran above market expectations. He has two interesting contenders at Ludlow, one of his local tracks. Gaye Legacy (from the family of Gaye Brief) seeks to break her duck after being beaten a nose three weeks ago, while Hidor De Bersy reverts to hurdles and tackles a handicap for the first time in that sphere, his mark having been dropped a bit after he failed to take to chasing.

Gaye Legacy13:30 Ludlow

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Jky: Ben Poste Tnr: Tom Symonds

Hidor De Bersy16:00 Ludlow

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Jky: Caoilin Quinn (5lb)Tnr: Tom Symonds

2. In terms of raw potential, Sea Flawless probably comes out on top of all today's runners. Connections couldn't get her to the racecourse until she was four but she started making up for lost time with a stylish debut success at Newcastle in February and now tries to defy a penalty against a couple of more experienced males at Lingfield. Sold for 140,000gns in November, she's a sister to the talented but tricky Al Aasy, who seemed sure to win the Coronation Cup a couple of years ago but was then outbattled by Pyledriver. 

Sea Flawless14:45 Lingfield (A.W)

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Jky: Cieren Fallon Tnr: William Haggas

3. Up-and-coming apprentice Connor Planas must be bursting with confidence after his Doncaster double on Saturday, which took him to four wins from eight rides in the past fortnight. Regular readers may recall his agent, Tony 'Kingmaker' Hind, telling us last June that Planas would be tilting at the apprentice title this year, adding: "I'm extremely pleased with what I see. He's going to be very good in time." Planas has one ride at Lingfield, for George Boughey on Hit Mac, who was only beaten a couple of lengths last week after charting a wide course. Can Planas avoid the same fate from stall nine? 

Hit Mac17:15 Lingfield (A.W)

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Jky: Connor Planas (5lb)Tnr: George Boughey

Read these next:

What's on this week: All-Weather Championships finals day and an Easter feast at Fairyhouse 

2023 Grand National: who heads the betting for Aintree's famous steeplechase? 

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.