Far-sighted Vanillier backers find themselves in front already as Grand National odds crash from 100-1

When you back a horse two months ahead of the Grand National, having him stay much the same odds until April is obviously not the big dream. What you want is a dramatic shortener, so congratulations are due to anyone who had the foresight to get on Vanillier before Saturday afternoon.

Gavin Cromwell's grey was a general 66-1 shot at the start of the weekend and there were even bits of 100-1 around if you knew where to look. He was a festival winner just two years ago but you're soon forgotten in this game.

All it took was a strong-finishing effort to be second in the Bobbyjo and Vanillier is once more flavour of the month. When he was initially cut to 40-1 for Aintree, that seemed fair enough, but by Sunday he was 25-1 across the board, his odds having been quartered.