18+ | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Lane books National ticket

Moor Lane landed an ante-post gamble and put himself firmly into the Martell Grand National picture by galloping his rivals into the ground at a muddy Doncaster today.

Victory in the Stg£50,000-added Great Yorkshire Chase gave Ian Balding a rare big-race success over jumps, exactly 51 years to the day that his father Gerald had taken the same race with Arctic Gold.

It was a fine training performance by the man better known for his exploits with Flat horses such as Mill Reef and Lochsong as the winner had suffered a career-threatening injury in 1999 and spent two years on the sidelines before this season.

Moor Lane was heavily backed for this race at 6-1 when betting started on Monday and eventually started 4-1 favourite.

He passed the post a three-and-a-half-length winner, with the same distance back to Frenchman`s Creek (7-1) who outstayed Strong Paladin for third place.

'That was a really good performance,' said Balding. 'He is entered in the Grand National and I`d like to think he would be up to running.

'If he runs anywhere before Aintree it will be in the De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock.'

Moor Lane`s odds for the National were cut to 25-1 from 40-1 by Coral.