ROK TIL DAWN

Paul Ferguson keeps faith with his early season hopes for Aintree prizes

Inailed my Grand National colours to Iroko in the January edition of Racing Ahead and he has done little to deter my optimism about him running a big race in the Aintree feature since. Perhaps, he could have bustled up Grey Dawning a shade more in the Premier Chase at Kelso but I actually think the winner returned to form on that occasion and Dan Skelton's 8yo is another to consider at the Grand National fixture.

With just three weeks between meetings this year, there is only 20 days between the Gold Cup and the Bowl, so looking at horses who arrive at Aintree fresh - for certain races, at least - is definitely something to consider. The Betfair Chase appeared to take plenty out of Grey Dawning at the start of this season and after a mistake at the first fence, he struggled to get involved in the King George. It was, therefore, good to see him bounce back to form in Scotland, where he travelled with zest and jumped swiftly.

He hasn't had much luck at Aintree to date, beaten at the track on hurdling debut and falling in the Sefton two years ago, whilst I thought it looked to be one race too many at the end of a long season when only third in last year's Manifesto.

It will be interesting to see if Spillane's Tower takes up his engagement in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham (feature written prior to the Festival) as there has been talk of him missing the Festival and waiting for the Bowl, if Fact To File reroutes from the Gold Cup. He is another who has to be forgiven a poor run in Kempton's King George, but he was a highclass novice last term and would be another to take seriously if arriving in Liverpool on the back of a break.