Racing: Elbow a tight corner for Heard

The new champion trainer already seems impregnable and now has an fine candidate for the Grand National as well. Yesterday Paul Nicholls saddled Eurotrek to skip over the big Aintree fences and win the Becher Chase with authority.

Making only his 11th start, Eurotrek was 25-1 on his return from another long absence. But the only danger came from his own rider, Liam Heard, who nearly took the wrong course after the final fence. Just in time he was frantically waved to the right, around the Elbow. Totesport cut Eurotrek to 12-1 for the National.

"I was driving the horse and then looked up, but there was no panic as I had enough space and time to adjust," Heard said. "Hopefully, I'll keep the ride in the National and you won't get a better ride in the race."

Marcus Foley was taken to hospital with a fractured wrist after Solar System came down, but Tony McCoy only wounded his pride when Clan Royal fell at the first.