Gordon Elliott puts spotlight on Backstage for Aintree raid

Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott has ruled his promising chaser Backstage out of Wednesday's Kerry National at Listowel, because he has Aintree in his sights again.

At 29, Elliott became the youngest handler to saddle the winner of the Aintree showpiece when Silver Birch won in 2007.

Now the County Meath-based Elliott is planning another Liverpool raid with Backstage, who was an impressive winner of a handicap chase at Ffos Las last month.

The gelding is currently a 40-1 shot with Skybet for the four-and-a-half mile marathon.

And such is the confidence behind the horse that Elliot has already provisionally booked top jockey Paul Carberry, who landed a major Irish gamble when partnering Bobbyjo to victory in 1999, to ride the seven-year-old in the Grand National next April.

Elliott said: "Backstage is 100 per cent, but he won't run in the Kerry National because I don't want to spoil his handicap mark. The English National is the aim.

"We are giving him a break and he'll have a couple of runs over hurdles - and he's still a novice this season - then the plan is Aintree.

"Although a lot can happen between now and then, I have had a chat to Paul Carberry and he's keen to ride him.