No confusion - this chaser is the real deal and has Cheltenham and Aintree in his sights

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Like trainer, like horse. There is nothing flashy about Joel Parkinson or Konfusion but the pair are both mightily effective and relentlessly on the up.

Craiglands Farm won the Grand National and the Ultima Handicap Chase in the days when Sue Smith was the only name on the licence and both races could now be in the sights of the up-and-coming seven-year-old, who is part of a powerful renaissance in West Yorkshire since Parkinson joined the licence.

Last month's 15-length Rehearsal Chase winner was not hard pressed to defy a 10lb rise in the weights, making all to take the Rowland Meyrick under Callum Bewley in the colours of Anne Ellis.

"He's a good horse," Parkinson said. "He's on the up and it's nice to have a good winner for Anne, who's been a long-standing owner of ours and been with us through thick and thin and had no luck for a couple of years.

"The Ultima could be his target. We'll look at the options but we're going to have to give him a run around Cheltenham to see if he likes the track. He seems to like these flat, galloping courses and that's my only worry with him. And the way you've got to ride him, around Cheltenham he'd be there to be shot at."

When asked about the National, he said: "We could possibly enter him. If he keeps improving we'll see how good we are — he'd be borderline to get in after that."

Konfusion: has won his last three completed startsCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Bewley certainly believes Konfusion is still improving and said: "That was lovely. He jumped better today than he did at Newcastle.

"He's got his own way of doing it but he gets from A to B very well. He gave me a very good feel. Full credit to the team at home, they've got him in good form. It's a pleasure to get the call to ride him."

The yard has also won the London National and Tommy Whittle Chase in recent weeks and Parkinson, who became joint-trainer alongside Smith in October 2024, said: "They say you take ten years to have an overnight success and it feels like it's all slotting in."

Keeping the Wolf from the door 

It has been a slow season for Sandy Thomson but he had three second places in a row leading up to Christmas and won his fifth race of the campaign when Wolfburg took the novice handicap chase.

"They're hitting form again," said jockey Craig Nichol. "It was a little bit frustrating for Sandy and the team, but they've all started running a lot better and hopefully they'll just take off." 

Wolfburg scored by nine and a half lengths at 14-1 in first-time cheekpieces and Nichol said: "He showed a bit of form as a young horse then fell away. They've had some things done to him and cheekpieces and fences seemed to help him."

Wolfburg: a fifth winner of the season for trainer Sandy Thomson Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Reign supreme

Alex Chadwick was rewarded when Scavengers Reign took the 2m3½f mares' maiden hurdle.

It had been nearly two months since the rider was unseated aboard the mare when she ducked sharply left after the fifth flight at Huntingdon when sent off the 4-11 favourite.

Alex Chadwick got the job done on Scavengers Reign (near side)Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"She's a bit quirky," Chadwick said. "She ran out with me at Huntingdon and that went viral on social media. You wouldn't have been surprised if connections had gone for a professional, so I was pleased they stuck with me and it's great to win."

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