ELEGANT ESCAPE (20/1)

7yo b g (33-1212)

Rating: 162 (11st 4lb)

Colin Tizzard’s second-season chaser rarely ever runs a bad race and could easily end up the clear Grand National favourite come April. He couldn’t live with stablemate Sizing Codelco in the Ladbrokes Trophy but he showed all of his staying power to win the Welsh Grand National, granted on favourable terms, on his next start.

He progressed again from that to finish second to Frodon in the BetBright Trophy in a race that was never going to suit him given the slow pace.

He rates a lively outsider for the Gold Cup now and it wouldn’t at all be a surprise to see him run a big race there, staying on up the hill, which would make him a well handicapped horse going to Aintree, where the marathon trip will be right up his street.

BALLYOPTIC (33/1)

9yo b g (4142-F6)

Rating: 155 (10st 11lb)

This nine-year-old is a Grade 1 winner over hurdles at Aintree and he isn’t far off that level over fences, as he showed last year when taking a Grade 2 contest at Warwick before finishing a highly respectable fourth in Presenting Percy’s RSA Chase at Cheltenham.

On his next start he failed by just a nose in the Scottish Grand National. That was off a mark of 149, and although 6lbs higher now, he is a second season chaser who still has scope to improve with just eight runs over fences.

He did fall when racing over the National fences earlier this season, and he was only sixth in the Welsh Grand National, but the combination of good ground, this longer trip and a return to Aintree could be absolutely perfect for him.

MALL DINI (25/1)

9yo b g (5452P-36)

Rating: 148 (10st 4lb)

Maybe this will be Mall Dini’s big day in the sun. A lot of people have been saying that for a long time but all will be forgiven if the Philip Reynolds-owned chaser delivers in the biggest race of them all. He has had his usual quiet year but his latest effort to finish sixth in the Thyestes Chase was eyecatching given he looked well held and likely to be pulled up coming into straight, before flying home for Patrick Mullins to get sixth on the line. And now, we’re coming into his time of the season. He is likely to go back to Cheltenham next month where he could run in either the National Hunt Chase or Ultima Handicap Chase. Good ground and a stamina test suit his style of racing and it would be no surprise if a good run around Prestbury Park left him ahead of the handicapper on a reassessment.

MISSED APPROACH (33/1)

9yo b g (6321P-6)

Rating: 145 (10st 1lb)

We’ve only seen last season’s Kim Muir winner Missed Approach once this season but there may be good reason for that. On his only appearance he finished a highly creditable sixth over the National fences in the Becher Chase in November. Highly creditable because he dwelt at the start and lost close to 10 lengths. Interestingly the handicapper dropped him 1lb for that which has him on 145, which just gets him into the Kim Muir again, right on the ceiling rating. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if it transpired that connections were keen to mind that mark so he can go back to defend his title and he must have a good chance if he does. His form to win the race last season is eyecatching, as the second and third Mall Dini and Squouateur, are horses that usually have armies of support. He’ll be a huge contender going back to Cheltenham and can use that as an ideal prep for the National.