Brian Ellison planning Aintree-style experience for Definitly Red

Brian Ellison intends to give Definitly Red a spin over Aintree-style fences ahead of his tilt at next month's Randox Health Grand National.The eight-year-old will step up his preparations for the great race on April 8 with an outing over some replicas of the famous birch on gallops near to the Yorkshire handler's yard in Malton.After winning the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby in December, the Phil Martin-owned gelding, who is as short as 12-1 to win the world's most famous steeplechase, bounced back from a fall in the Peter Marsh at Haydock with victory in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster last time out.Ellison said: "Definitly Red is fine and is in great form. He has done nothing wrong all season."He is 10lb 'well in' in the Grand National and hopefully if he takes to the fences we are very hopeful of a good run."They are building a couple of Aintree fences in Malton and the plan is to give him a pop over them beforehand."All roads lead to Aintree for Raz De Maree following his return to action at Thurles last week, where the Cork Grand National winner was runner-up in a handicap hurdle.Gavin Cromwell was pleased with that effort, his first since he finished second to Native River in the Coral Welsh Grand National.Cromwell will now prepare the 12-year-old for the National, with Raz De Maree just needing a handful of horses to come out for him to make the cut for the 40-runner field."He's very good. That's him done now. He won't run again before Aintree," said the County Meath handler."The way he travelled was good and it's the Grand National next for him."