Conti can show he is tailor-made for the National

Jessber’s Dream clears the last under Noel Fehily to win the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices Hurdle at Sandown (Getty Images)

Haydock stages its Grand National Trial this afternoon, but perhaps more significant Aintree pointers will be revealed in classier contests at Ascot.

Silviniaco Conti goes for his seventh Grade One victory in the Ascot Chase, now with something to prove following a tame display when attempting a third straight King George VI Chase triumph at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Paul Nicholls has given up on him ever winning a Cheltenham Gold Cup, but one poor run certainly does not mean he should be written off altogether.

The fitting of blinkers will inevitably add to suspicions that the 10-year-old, plagued by painful sores, may be losing some enthusiasm, but he’s a superb jumper and seemingly tailor-made for the National; current odds of 40-1 will vanish if he bounces back here and Nicholls opts for Aintree’s main event, rather than the Bowl, another Grade One he has already won twice.

Today’s distance (two miles, five furlongs) is shorter than ideal, but there’s plenty of pace in the race and the soft ground will also bring Silviniaco Conti’s abundant stamina into play.

Dynaste may be revived by a recent wind operation and also wears blinkers for the first time, but his old adversary has beaten him on their last four encounters and the rejuvenated Irish veteran Flemenstar might pose more problems.

Another rival, Triolo D’Alene, the 2013 Topham Trophy winner over the big Aintree fences, is one of several other National hopefuls making their pitches throughout the afternoon, but by far the most fascinating is the seven-year-old Onenightinvienna in the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase.

No novice has won the Grand National since Mr What in 1958, no seven-year-old since Bogskar in 1940, yet according to the bookies Philip Hobbs’ gelding, with just three runs over fences behind him, is as serious a contender as Silviniaco Conti.

This is ostensibly a Cheltenham Festival trial – main rivals Drumacoo and Vyta Du Roc are prepping for the RSA Chase – but eyes will also be trained hard on Onenightinvienna as pundits assess what might make him so suited to the National at such a tender age – apart from sporting the same colours as the 1986 hero West Tip.

The latest Irish and Welsh Grand National winners are also in action today en route to Aintree, Sandra Hughes’ Thunder And Roses in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse and Kerry Lee’s Mountainous in Haydock’s handicap.

Lee, having taken over the licence from her father, Richard, has been one of the success stories of the season, proving especially adept with her staying chasers. She is double-handed here, also saddling Bishops Road, who dotted up on his English debut at Sandown last month and another Liverpool-bound if he proves he can cope with this step up in distance.

Like Mountainous, however, and the recent wide-margin course winner Cloudy Too, Bishops Road has been hammered by the handicapper; although unlike them he may have the scope to deal with it.

It may, though, be worth looking instead at Harry The Viking, relatively untouched by the weights assessor after a series of honourable efforts in defeat this past year, starting with a desperate near miss in this event 12 months ago.