Giles Cross makes all for National Trial victory

Report: Haydock, Saturday

Betfred Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (Grade 3), 3m4f, 5yo+

GILES CROSS ran out a game winner of the Betfred Grand National Trial under a cool ride from Denis O'Regan.

The 4-1 favourite, who finished runner-up in the Welsh National in December, made the majority of the running and his fluent jumping was the deciding factor.

The Victor Dartnall-trained ten-year-old outjumped fellow prominent racer Neptune Collonges on a number of occasions and his economical jumping style meant he had enough in reserve to repel the challenges of Some Target and Always Right in the home straight.

While those two dropped away it was left to Neptune Collonges to pose the biggest threat on the run-in and the 11-year-old rallied well, but O'Regan did not panic and Giles Cross always had enough in reserve.

Welsh National winner Le Beau Bai plugged on for third.

O'Regan said: "He's an easy horse to ride. He's very genuine and jumps like a buck. He tries his hardest and deserves this.

"I'd love to ride him in the Grand National, but the ground's got to be right - he loved the conditions today.

"He's such a legend who never runs a bad race."

Giles Cross is 63rd in the weightsfor the  John Smith's Grand National on April 14 and was cut to 20-1 (from 25-1) by William Hill for that race, while Neptune Collonges, who is guaranteed a run in the Aintree spectacular,  is now 25-1 (from 40-1) with the same firm.