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.

"Though he rides for Noel Meade, he doesn't think Noel will have anything in the race and with both Jason Maguire and Tom Scudamore attached to big yards, it would be great to get Paul."

Meanwhile, a knee injury has ruled Gerard Butler's stable star Dansant out of the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

However, fellow trainer Jamie Osborne is still keen to take enigmatic stayer Geordieland to America.

Despite finishing a disappointing third to Askar Tau in last week's Doncaster Cup, Osborne feels Geordieland deserves to take his chance in the £300,000 race on 6 November.

"It is possible he will go to Santa Anita. We are sitting on the fence a little bit, but I think that will be favourite to be his next race," Osborne said.

However, he ruled out a change of codes for the eight-year-old, winner of Sandown's Group 2 Henry II Stakes in May.

"He won't be going hurdling," he added.