For Kilbeggan Blade, who landed his second course success of this season over hurdles at the Northants track yesterday, is being aimed at the Aintree showpiece on Saturday, April 4.

George, who trains at Slad near Cheltenham, saw his 10 year-old score a four length victory from market rival Mon Mome in the 3m novices' hurdle, with none other than Tony McCoy the man on board the 2/1 second favourite.

George has used the smaller obstacles as a sweetener for Kilbeggan Blade, who has sandwiched a 3m 5f chase success at Sandown between this victory, and his other win at Towcester in October.

George joked: "I have had the horse for six years and it looks as though I have finally worked him out!"

Explaining his logic, he said: "The horse needs to be kept fresh and we have done a bit of swimming with him at home. We will give him one more run over hurdles and then the plan is to go for the Grand National where we think he might get in with a handy weight of around 10st 5lbs.

"If you just keep running him over fences he loses his edge – which is what happened last season when he ran in the Scottish Grand National."

The ground at Towcester was undeniably heavy yesterday, which probably contributed to the usual quota of surprise results, not that connections of 14/1 winner Kilvergan Boy and 18/1 chance Woodlands Genpower were complaining.

Kilvergan Boy ended a month long drought for the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable with a game success from Postmaster in the 2m Dalepak Novices' Hurdle, with David England in the saddle.

Although the trainer was absent, assistant head lad Richard Bevis said: "We have had a bit of a lean spell and this will be a real boost for the trainer – he has been practically suicidal!"

He added: "The horses haven't had a virus or anything on them but can travel well for two miles in races and then stop to nothing, such as the way it panned out for Imperial Commander in the King George VI Chase."

The fact that the last three fences on each circuit were omitted in the 3m beginners' chase due to late afternoon low-lying sun should have worked out well for 4/6 favourite Pancake, whose jumping was a constant cause for concern.

Ironically though, once he was left in front to simply gallop home, he was reeled in by Woodlands Genpower.

The 11 year-old grey was partnered by Jack Doyle to a 14-length victory, after which Shipston-on-Stour trainer Peter Pritchard said: "This horse has suffered so badly with back trouble.

Nothing has given me more pleasure than seeing him win again after all his problems."

He added: "We went down the route of treating him for ulcers and after he schooled well this week and I saw there were initially only five or six declared, I said 'bugger it' – we will run him."

It proved an afternoon of following grey runners as Man Of The Moment (8/1) led home Smart Thinker in the gg.com Handicap Chase over 3m.

Man Of The Moment was partnered by Seamus Durack for trainer Jim Best, whose brother Tom said: "The horse had been with Paul Nichols and had won a point-to-point for Richard Barber before we brought him at the Sales.
"We are based at Lewes in Sussex and the stable has had 16 winners so far this season, although this is the first one we have had at Towcester."

Meanwhile, Shelomoh (7/2) survived a heart-stopping moment on the run in to just fend off Thievery by three quarters of a length in the 2m handicap chase.

Shelomoh appeared to be comfortably clear over the final fence but wouldn't be the first horse to jink left into the plastic rails at the entrance point onto the course.

Jockey Paddy Aspell did a great job in restoring momentum.

The final race on the card was the 2m 3 1/2f amateur riders' handicap hurdle which was won by the well supported Low Delta, a 9/2 co-favourite of three.