Win puts Chief Dan George back on Scots National trail

A Grade One winner over hurdles at the Aintree Festival in 2007, Jimmy Moffatt's ten-year-old has struggled to reach those heights since. He ran with credit in the Scottish National last season to finish fifth but looked up against it on Town Moor with the likes of Trabolgan and Tamarinbleu in the field.

It was those two more exalted rivals who looked to pose the biggest threat as they approached four out with Paddy Aspell in front on Chief Dan George (7-1). Trabolgan deposited Barry Geraghty on the turf, though, and try as Tamarinbleu might, he could not get to the leader, who won by a length.

"He's a funny old horse, he sort of jumps into other horses to intimidate them a bit but one thing I do know is that he thrives in the spring," said Moffat. "He's entered in he William Hill at Cheltenham, the National and the Scottish National, in which he ran a good race last year."

Alan King has shaken off his early-season blues and he added another to his potential Festival team when Gilded Age (7-1) won the sportingbet.com Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.