Brian Ellison open to running Definitly Red in Grand National

Trainer Brian Ellison has admitted Definitly Red could run in the Randox Health Grand National if he can show promise over the unique fences.

Ellison has decided to have National-type fences built on his gallops in North Yorkshire as he prepares for the race in April.

Definitly Red, who won the Rowland Meyrick Chase, unseated Henry Brooke on his last run at Haydock earlier this month.

He looked to be in good shape when the incident occurred and many believe the eight-year-old would have held on for a place behind eventual winner Bristol De Mai.

Ellison is adamant Definitly Red would have finished as the runner-up before being hampered and the trainer is tempted by a run in the National.

“I think he’d have finished second,” he said. “He was starting to stay on again but he had made that mistake down the back.

He was also hating the ground. “He came out of it well and we’ve given a couple of easy weeks.

We’re going to go with him again in early March with a view to whether we go to the Grand National or not. “He might go either to Kelso or for the Grimthorpe [at Doncaster].

It depends on how he schools over the fences. We’re going to have some National-style fences built up in a couple of weeks’ time. “If he takes to them well, then he might run at Aintree.”