McCain-trained horse beats National rivals out of sight, reports Paul Wheeler

The marketing department at Aintree must have thought Christmas had come early yesterday. There are few times when even the John Smith's Grand National can fully connect with the outside world but that opportunity has been handed to them with Cloudy Lane becoming the outright favourite after winning at Doncaster.

Cloudy Lane lined up for the Coolfun Ltd Grimthorpe Handicap Chase alongside other National hopefuls Mr Pointment and Joes Edge, but Joes Edge unseated his rider at the 11th fence and Mr Pointment, who had led for most of the way, folded like a pack of cards early in the home straight and came in distance last of the six finishers.

Cloudy Lane, meanwhile, took the lead before the penultimate fence and came away to beat Ungaro by seven lengths. Cloudy Lane is now a best-priced 7-1 (blue square and totepsort) to provide Donald McCain with a first victory in the National, a race his family name is synonymous with through the four winners - including three-time winner Red Rum - trained by his father, Ginger.

That price is likely to shrink dramatically come the day of the race as the nation's once-a-year punters jump on the Red Rum factor, which could make Cloudy Lane one of the shortest priced favourites in years when the tapes fly up on April 5.

"We keep asking him questions and he just keeps coming up with the answers," said McCain, who will now follow the family's tried-and-tested Aintree preparations. "We never school them over Aintree-style fences at home as I don't think you can ever build an Aintree fence really. You can put spruce over a schooling fence but they can still kick their way through that and I think it can lull them into a false sense of security."

Aintree may be the focus for McCain but it was thoughts of Cheltenham that were running through the mind of Jonjo O'Neill yesterday morning as Exotic Dancer came through an important gallop at Jackdaws Castle. Exotic Dancer, ridden by Tony McCoy, worked with stable companions Don't Push It and Mountain.

Doubts had emerged last week over news that the horse had suffered what had been described as a "minor setback" but he is still on target for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he is third-favourite behind Kauto Star and Denman. Barry Simpson, racing manager to Exotic Dancer's owner Sir Robert Ogden, said afterwards: "The horse has gone up the gallops and seems to be enjoying himself. He will keep to his normal routine and, if we get a good run through and there are no reactions, he will take his place in the Gold Cup line-up."

Exotic Dancer has been regularly treated by a chiropractor since he damaged a ligament in his back in January and it was discovered upon a routine examination on Tuesday that the impressive chaser was sore in his lumbar region, but reportedly showed no ill-effects in his workout.

There had been the prospect of a low turnout for the Gold Cup, prompted by the seemingly overwhelming superiority of Kauto Star and Denman. However, there are still those prepared to take up the challenge and Afistfullofdollars was installed by totesport as a 33-1 chance for the race after it was revealed he could be supplemented. Noel Meade's 10-year-old put up an impressive display at Fairyhouse last weekend, on just his fourth start over fences, to win the Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase by six lengths. His owner, Eamon McElroy, must now decide whether to stump up the £22,500 supplementary fee. "The owners are giving it serious consideration and he's a horse who is very well at the moment," Meade said.

"There was no question he was a decent horse but he did surprise me a little with the way he won. The reason I ran him in the Bobbyjo was to get some experience into him because he'd only had three runs over fences in his life before that. The Irish National was going through my mind as a target for him before that, but now he has other options."

Connections have until noon on Saturday to make a final decision.

The final decision for the connections of Tango Royal may be a date for retirement but that may well be some time off after his victory in the National Britannia Veterans' Handicap Chase at Newbury. These races, which were added to the programme this season, are restricted to horses aged 10 or over and are proving a great success.

Kandjar d'Allier led the field a merry dance and was still there at the last but it was Last Tango who pulled clear to beat Briery Fox by two lengths to prove that there is plenty of life left in these old horses yet.