Doncaster win sees Saint Are's Aintree odds cut

Second to Many Clouds last season, Tom George’s stayer completed his National preparations with a telling display of stamina and good jumping on Town Moor that left the trainer hoping that his stable star could, in fact, go one better in the world’s greatest steeplechase which is sponsored by Crabbies.

A resurgent Paddy Brennan, buoyed by his big race association with leading Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Cue Card, had Saint Are to the fore from the start and was left in front early on when Keith Reveley’s Night In Milan made an uncharacteristic 
error and fell at the second 
fence.

Godsmejudge moved alongside to share pacemaking duties until he faded rather tamely some way from home.

Saint Are, showing no signs of rustiness despite having his first race for 81 days, kept up the gallop and his sound jumping.

Grandads Horse looked a threat from three out but Saint Are was not for stopping and he held on by three-quarters of a length. Baileys Concerto was third.

A delighted George said: “We’ve started to step him up a bit and he’ll come on a lot for today, but he’s where we want him to be.

“He’d go round again at that pace. His coat is starting to come through now and he enjoys this time of year and is feeling good about life.

“At the start of the season he ran in the Becher Chase and ran well, but this is his time of year. We’ll keep stepping it up a bit more.

“He’ll go straight to Aintree now.”

Saint Are was cut to 25-1 from 33s for the Grand National with Betfred, while Paddy Power went 20-1 from 25s.

Meanwhile, Thirsk-based jockey Danny Cook made it four wins from five days when Ballycrystal prevailed for Malton trainer Brian Ellison.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has played down his Cheltenham Festival hopes – despite saying he has his “best lot of four-year-old” young horses.

“This year I think it will be quite hard to go to the Festival and have a winner,” he bemoaned. “In those days when you had the likes of Kauto Star, Big Buck’s and Denman, you could rely on them. It’s a little bit tough, but we’ve got plenty of horses that can win plenty of money.

“It’s just finding a few more of those Grade One horses again. I’ve been lucky to have plenty of them before and we’ve just got to get some more and undoubtedly they will be there.”

However, Nicholls did talk up the chances of dual purpose horse Saphir Du Rheu who will line up in the Ryanair World Hurdle before reverting back to larger obstacles next season. “I think on better ground you’ll see him in a completely different light.

“He’s a high-class horse and it’s coming together really well for the World Hurdle,” said the trainer.

“I still see him as a chaser and he’ll do that next year, but this year’s Gold Cup looks hot.

“I’m not pretending he’s going to be a Denman, but he’s still a good horse.”

Blaklion, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained winner of Wetherby’s Towton Novices’ Chase on February 6, is set to line up in the Grade One RSA Chase at Cheltenham after being scratched from the four mile National Hunt Chase at yesterday’s forfeit stage.

Doncaster, Ripon and York won their respective regional categories at The Racegoers Club 2015 Racecourse of the Year Awards – with Cheltenham named the top course in the country following its extensive redevelopment.