Cloudy Lane - will he stay trip?

The dust is beginning to settle on the weekend action and Cloudy Lane is 6-1 with most bookmakers to win the Grand National after his fluent success at Doncaster. Provided that he does not suffer a mishap between now and the big race, he seems certain to start favourite.

Those who have snapped up big prices about the Donald McCain-trained eight-year-old - he has been matched at 260 on Betfair - deserve a pat on the back but whether he should now be trading at a single-figure price must be doubtful.

The positives are that Cloudy Lane is improving, jumps soundly and seems indifferent to the ground. He is going to be racing off a lenient mark (20lb well in) and will represent a stable that knows exactly what is required to win the world’s most famous race.

However, the form of Cloudy Lane’s recent successes look a bit hollow and, more significant, whether he has the stamina for the National remains a big doubt.

His victory at Doncaster was devalued by Mr Pointment bursting a blood vessel; Joes Edge falling early on and Ungaro managing to claim second despite running in snatches and making errors. Before that, Cloudy Lane had won easily at Ayr but that race lacked any depth, with only one of his four rivals managing to complete.

Whatever the merits of Cloudy Lane’s past two wins, the question mark over his ability to last four and a half miles will remain right up until the tapes rise.

His two races beyond three and a quarter miles last season raise serious doubts about him going the distance. In the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock, over 3m 5f, he finished tailed off after running out of petrol two out. And later, in the Irish Grand National, he was on the retreat when being hampered and unseating his rider three out.

It is probably no wonder that Cloudy Lane is not a thorough stayer, when you consider his breeding. His sire, Cloudings, was at his best over ten furlongs, while his dam, Celtic Cygnet, was a winner at up to two and a half miles over hurdles.