Monbeg Dude 25-1 for Grand National after Cheltenham victory

There could be some royal interest in the 2014 Grand National after Monbeg Dude ran out a convincing winner of a Grade 3 chase at Cheltenham on Friday. The horse is part-owned by Mike Tindall, husband of Zara Phillips who has been providing extra schooling sessions to improve the eight-year-olds jumping.

Last season’s Welsh National winner was produced late by Tom Scudamore to get the better of Theatre Guide by a length and a quarter. He is swerving Chepstow this year with all roads leading to Aintree in the Spring.

He is unlikely to be seen out again before the weights are published and Coral cut his price to 25-1 for the National. Hennessy winner Triolo D’Alene is one of four co-favourites at 20-1 along with Back In Focus, Prince De Beauchene and Teaforthree.

There were plenty of Cheltenham festival clues over the two-day meeting, not least the clash between novice chaser’s Oscar Whisky and Wonderful Charm. It was Nicky Henderson’s gelding that came out on top here in receipt of 8lbs but the pair could clash again in the Jewson Novices’ Chase in March, for which they earned quotes of 10-1 and 8-1 respectively.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the weekend came from Kings Palace who was slashed to 4-1 clear favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle after trouncing his rivals on Saturday. Leading Irish hope Briar Hill was far less impressive in disposing of his loan rival on Sunday and is 10-1 second favourite.

The New One had to be kept up to his work to win the International Hurdle from Zarkandar and is 3-1 favourite for the Champion Hurdle. Sam Twiston-Davies blamed himself for hitting the front too soon and the gelding could reappear in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton for a possible clash with My Tent Or Yours.

Doncaster winner Fox Norton was cut to 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle, the same price as the bitterly disappointing favourite Royal Irish Hussar. Runner-up Broughton also delighted connections and is 20-1 to win Juvenile championship race in March.