The Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster is this afternoon’s highlight, offering punters plenty of clues towards Aintree with The Druids Nephew, Just a Par, The Last Samurai and Ikorodu Road all entered for the 2016 renewal of the Crabbies Grand National.

Kim Bailey had both National hopefuls Kruzhlinin and The Last Samurai (3.45) entered for connections at the five-day stage and opts to run the latter who gets the nod to win en-route to having a crack at Aintree thereafter.

The eight-year-old was unsuited by Kempton’s sharp track last time out, when still managing to get the job done under David Bass in a competitive three-mile Handicap Chase over Christmas.

Bass keeps the ride and, with the gelding likely to be suited by the return to a galloping track, he is a confident selection to maintain his excellent strike-rate over fences.

Selected Grand National prices from BetVictor: Many Clouds 10/1, Shutthefrontdoor 20/1, The Last Samurai 25/1, Unioniste 25/1, Just a Par 33/1

Philip Hobbs’ Mountain King (2.00) has a very different profile and has been far from prolific over fences, winning just one of his nine career starts over the larger obstacles, but should be suited by both the drop back in trip and Doncaster’s better ground and can land the opening two-mile handicap chase under Richard Johnson. The selection was rated 135 over timber but always looked the type to do better over fences and has admittedly been disappointing thus far.

Nevertheless, the form of his second behind Paul Nicholls’ ill-fated Mon Successeur two starts ago at Ascot has worked out well and he is now just a pound higher than bolting-up over the same trip at Perth last spring.

Further National clues are on display at Kelso where last year’s Aintree hero Many Clouds (3.50) puts the final touches to preparation for this year’s renewal and is a confident selection to land the feature Premier Chase under Leighton Aspell.

Oliver Sherwood’s stable star has been far from disgraced in his runner-up efforts behind the pair of Don Poli and Smad Place, 6/1 and 9/1 respectively with BetVictor for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and can beat his four rivals with the minimum of fuss.

The nine-year-old is 10/1 with BetVictor to be the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back Grand Nationals but is well-treated at the weights, officially a 6lb better horse but carrying just a solitary pound more this term, and will relish the test of jumping that only Aintree provides.

Le Prezien is likely to be a warm favourite bidding to bounce back in the G2 Premier Hurdle under Sam Twiston-Davies.

He was probably unlucky not to score last time out at Haydock and, whilst he is respected for powerful connections, preference lies instead with the locally-trained Lake View Lad (3.15) under regular partner Steve Mulqueen.

Neil Alexander’s promising novice arrives seeking the hat-trick after winning impressively over longer trips at Ayr and Wetherby and is likely to be over-priced stepping up into graded company.

BetVictor are sponsoring on this afternoon’s Greatwood card at Newbury and, after teaming-up to land last year’s Novices’ Handicap Chase with O Maonlai, Tom George and Paddy Brennan combine again with Florida Calling (4.35).

The selection has shown little form in a trio of novices’ hurdles but is a point-to-point winner in his native Ireland and is bred to relish the step up to the larger obstacles. He should be suited by the drop back in trip and should prove much better than his opening mark of 114.

Paul Nicholls has won eight of the last 11 renewals of the feature Greatwood Gold Cup and saddles both Sametegal and Art Mauresque bidding to maintain his stranglehold on the contest.

Both are sure to be competitive for the Champion Trainer but a chance is taken instead on Evan Williams’ Laser Hawk (3.25) under the returning Paul Moloney.

The selection remains unexposed under rules, making just his seventh start this afternoon, but is a dual point to point winner and clearly goes well at the track. The handicapper has dropped him 6lb since finishing third in a competitive two-mile handicap chase at the track in November and he should prove even better stepping up in trip to two and a half miles and can reward each-way support.

Nicky Henderson boasts a terrific record in the closing £50,000 bumper and must go close with Cultivator (5.10) under Nico De Boinville. The selection was third in the corresponding race last term but has improved since, winning a warm Ascot bumper on his seasonal debut in October, and should improve for the fitting of a first-time hood.

For all the latest odds head to BetVictor.com - be Lucky.