Confidence in Iroko appears to be building ahead of the seven-year-old's long-term target - the Randox Grand National at Aintree.
Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, and owned by JP McManus, Cokoriko gelding Iroko has not had his head in front since winning a novice chase at Warwick in November 2023, but finds himself second-favourite in the antepost lists following eyecatching efforts on his two most recent starts.
After falling early on at Ascot in December, Iroko was a staying-on fourth behind Moon D'Orange in a valuable middle-distance handicap at Cheltenham on Trials Day towards the end of January, before being beaten just two and a half lengths by the Grade 1 Bowl-bound Grey Dawning in Kelso's bet365 Premier Chase early last month.
Jonjo O'Neill Jnr, on board for all the horse's seven chase starts to date, believes the McManus-owned 2024 hero I Am Maximus remains the horse to beat but is struggling to hide his optimism for Iroko in the April 5 showpiece.
Speaking on Racing TV's Luck on Sunday programme, the jockey said: "I think I Am Maximus is still the one that everyone has got to beat, he was very impressive last year. He won off 159 and he's going into it [this year] off 167. Would you say that with the extra 8lb, would he have won last year? I think he probably would have done.
"So I think he's still the one they all have got to beat.
"It's a very good race. Even with Inothewayurthinkin out of the race it's as hot a National [as you can get]. It's like a really big Hennessy now. It's a different race and the better horses probably do come to the fore.
WATCH: Iroko's last run when second to Grey Dawning at Kelso
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"But Iroko has got a nice weight and I think he'll get the trip. You obviously don't know until you go that extended distance but I wouldn't want to be swapping him.
"He will give himself every chance to stay, he's not keen and he's very straightforward. He's a good jumper and I thought his run at Kelso was very good because the ground was lively enough for him.
"He was up against Grey Dawning who was... that was obviously his target for some time, to go on to Aintree, and it's a front-runners' track, the track was probably a little bit tight for Iroko. So I thought he ran very well in defeat and it was a lovely prep for the National."
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