Last Option, winner of the Christie's Fox Hunter Chase at Cheltenham last month, can complete a notable double tomorrow on the opening day of Aintree's Grand National meeting.

The ten-year-old, trained at Boltby near Thirsk by Robin Tate, lines up for the Martell Fox Hunter's Chase, and is fancied to take all the beating.

This race is run over the National fences, but the formidable obstacles are unlikely to hold any fears for Last Option, who jumped impeccably for his trainer's daughter, Fiona Needham, at Cheltenham.

That prestigious success, gained by half-a-length from Gunner Welburn, saw Last Option returned at 20-1. He will not, alas, start at anything like those odds tomorrow when he will be racing on his favourite good ground.

This is a race where anything can happen but, granted luck in running, Last Option has a great chance of completing the Chelten-ham-Aintree Fox Hunter double for his North Yorkshire team.

Norton trainer Brian Ellison also has good prospects of reaching the winners' circle, courtesy of Batswing in the Martell Red Rum Handicap Chase.

A former high-class handicap hurdler, Batswing has scored twice over fences this season and was far from disgraced on his latest start at Cheltenham, where he finished eighth in the Grand Annual Chase, after being 9lb out of the weights.

This sharper track is expected to suit him better and he is fancied to be involved in the finish.

The £120,000 Martell Cup is the first-day highlight, and Lord Noelie gets the vote to improve his reward following his sterling effort in last year's race.

Henrietta Knight's charge chased home First Gold 12 months ago. He has not tucked away a win since, but he finished a hugely-creditable fourth under top-weight in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

Furthermore, he can be forgiven his latest two defeats, one of which was on unsuitably testing ground, while the other, in the Gold Cup, saw him suffer a slipping saddle.

Norman Mason and Richard Guest clinched the Martell Novices' Handicap Chase last season with Red Striker and it would be no surprise to see the County Durham pair, who went on to land the Grand National with Red Marauder, follow up tomorrow.

The two-and-a-half miles event is the target for Mr Bossman, who has made great strides in recent months, winning three of his last four races, his latest defeat at Newbury being largely attributed to a step up in distance. Back over a more suitable trip here, he is napped to emulate Red Striker by landing this prize.

Freetown, who was sent off at 20-1 when landing a big handicap at Cheltenham, turns out again in the Martell Handicap Hurdle, the opening race of the meeting.

He has more to do under his newly-increased rating this time but Len Lungo's gelding has the ground in his favour to make a bold bid under Tony Dobbin.

Tomorrow's tips:

Aintree

2-00 Freetown

2-35 Lord Noelie

3-10 Batswing

3-45 Last Option

4-20 Find The King

4-50 Mr Bossman (NAP)

5-20 Jenniferjo

Leicester

2-15 El Coto

2-50 Wayyak

3-25 Old California

4-00 Snow Leopard

4-30 Izmail

5-00 Rasid

5-30 College Rock

Updated: 12:34 Wednesday, April 03, 2002