Cloudy Lane was in excellent form at Doncaster

The horse, trained by Donald McCain - son of Aintree legend Ginger - and ridden by Jason Maguire, completed a hat-trick of wins to beat Ungaro.

Race favourite Mr Pointment faded in the closing stages after leading.

The McCains are hoping Cloudy Lane will follow three-time winner Red Rum and Amberleigh House and become the family's record fifth Aintree success.

McCain confessed he had hardly slept the night before because of nerves, but Cloudy Lane's confident display gave him plenty of satisfaction.

"He was impressive wasn't he? And Jason said he wasn't doing a lot in front," said McCain.

That was too bad to be true Mr Pointment assistant trainer Dan Skelton

"He has got to the front and he was just doing enough. He is not 100% and I would have been delighted if he had just finished in the first two or three and just run a nice race.

"He's a similar sort of horse to (2004 National winner) Amberleigh House in shape and size and we keep asking him questions and he just keeps coming up with the answers."

Dan Skelton, assistant to Mr Pointment's trainer Paul Nicholls, said he was very disappointed with his horse's run.

"That was too bad to be true, and we feel that when we have a good look at him, something will come up," he said.

Last year's Aintree runner-up McElvey made a fine return from an injury sustained during the race when he finished a respectable eighth in a handicap hurdle race.

"I am pleased," said trainer Peter Bowen. "He's done really well because when he ran in a hurdle this time last year, he carried 10 pounds less, and with 10 pounds less today he would not have been far away.

"I will have to decide whether to run him again before Aintree, but he's certainly on target to have another go."