Elliott thinks early stages will be crucial for Grey Gordon Elliott believes the early stages of the John Smith's Grand National will be crucial for Chicago Grey. Well-backed for the Aintree spectacular in recent days, the 2011 Cheltenham Festival winner has been prepared with one race in mind all season. But the nine-year-old has got detached before early on in his races, and Elliott is worried that he could get too far behind too early. "He schooled last week, schooled very well and stays well, he won the four-miler at Cheltenham last year," said Elliott. "He's done everything we've wanted him to do this year, Paul Carberry is going to ride him. "If he can get into a nice rhythm in the first half of the race I think he'll run a massive race. The first four or five fences are going to be very important, if he can get into a rhythm and get jumping. "He's probably not the best jumper in the world, he's adequate, he has his own technique. It's hard to know what horse is going to take to it. "He's been round a lot of the park courses, I think he'll be OK as he's got a good man on his back. I just hope he doesn't get detached early," he told At The Races.
