Gaboriot will attempt to go two places better than he did last year in the Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

The eight-year-old recorded comfortable hunter chase victories at Carlisle and Cheltenham back in May, before returning to handicap company to finish an excellent third in the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree in November.

Grand Sefton winner King Turgeon currently tops the market at a general 4/1, but with the prospect of a longer trip and softer ground expected to suit, co-trainer Josh Guerriero believes their contender, who is best-priced 11/2, has what it takes to reverse the form on Saturday.

Guerriero said: "Gaboriot is in very good form and has definitely improved to look at since the Grand Sefton. All of our horses tend to improve for a run so there is no reason why he should be any different. You can see that at home – he looks a lot sharper.

"We were very happy with his run in the Grand Sefton. He looked like he needed further that day, and I think softer ground will help him too, which he should get on Saturday."

Gaboriot will run from out of the weights over the Grand National fences at Aintree this weekend and although Guerriero admits they did consider a claiming jockey; Henry Brooke will retain the ride.

"It's not ideal that he is out of the handicap but there are not many opportunities like this, so we have to have a go. You would sometimes put a claiming jockey on to try and level it out at the weights, but we couldn't take Henry (Brooke) off of him."

A current mark of 128 leaves Gaboriot some way off of getting into the Grand National, but Oli Greenall and Josh Guerriero's gelding could still be present at Aintree come April, with the Freebooter Handicap Chase a potential target alongside the Cross-Country race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Guerriero added: "It will be hard to get him in the Grand National as he does need to go up plenty in the weights – if he did get high enough it is definitely something we would look at.

"The long-term plan could possibly be the Freebooter Handicap Chase at the Grand National Meeting in April as I know his owner (Guy Myddelton) would love to have a runner in that. The Cross-Country race at the Cheltenham Festival could also be a target."

"Oliver and I both love going to Aintree as we both have a close affinity with the course.

"It is local to us and obviously an amazing place so there are a lot of good things about Aintree, and we like to support it and have as many runners, and hopefully as many winners, as we can there."