The 'jinx' over Grand National winners remains but there was plenty of enthusiasm to take from Many Clouds who was just outdone by Don Poli in the Betfred Lotto "£100K Cash Giveaway" Chase at Aintree.

Bindaree's Welsh National victory in 2003 is still the last race any horse has managed to win after landing the biggest of them all, but it would take a brave man to bet against Many Clouds becoming the first since Red Rum to win back-to-back Grand Nationals.

He was cut to 16-1 from 20s by Betfred for a repeat win in April after making Willie Mullins' RSA Chase winner Don Poli pull out all the stops, jumping the last with feet to spare, suggesting he still had plenty in the tank.

That he was beaten four lengths by a rival two years his junior with pretensions of winning the Gold Cup and who was receiving 5lb - Don Poli was left unchanged at 6-1 for the blue riband - suggests he is going to be difficult to beat over another mile in April.

"He travelled and jumped great and I thought we had Don Poli beaten, but we were giving him 5lb and every pound counts," said trainer Oliver Sherwood.

"He showed his old enthusiasm and still has plenty of petrol. He could even come on again for that run.

"I haven't got a clue where we go next, but the opportunities are there in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and the Denman at Newbury.

"We'll just have a think."

Bryan Cooper was always confident he would catch Many Clouds on the 6-5 favourite, but his task was made harder by his saddle slipping.

"He's never that impressive in what he does, but he's ended up winning quite well in the end," said Cooper.

"I always thought I was going to get there, but my saddle slipped on the first circuit which made it pretty tricky.

"Don Poli did it well and that wouldn't have helped him - it would have probably pinched him a bit.

"He showed guts and he is never going to be impressive in what he does, so I wouldn't read too much into today. He got the job done and will have to step up now.

"I always knew that I would come out better in a battle because he is tough. To be fair to Many Clouds, he has had a run and Don Poli hasn't. I was quite happy that, if I didn't make a mistake over the last two fences, I had him covered.

"Don Poli is the one that is very hard to compare with the other Gigginstown horses because he only does what he has to but, going by Cheltenham last year, he was very impressive.

"I would imagine that we would go to the Lexus Chase or King George and we might have a better idea of where we are going then."

Another Grand National winner, 2014 hero Pineau De Re, was well fancied for the Betfred Becher Chase won by Highland Lodge (20-1) but he only got as far as the second fence.

Highland Lodge was having his first start for Cumbrian trainer Jimmy Moffatt since leaving Emma Lavelle and jumped for fun, enjoying the National fences under Henry Brooke.

He was getting lonely on the run-in, wandering about, but Brooke managed to get the 20-1 winner back on an even keel and he saw off Dare To Endeavour by two and a quarter lengths.

The National will be his aim but whether he will be high enough in the handicap to get a run would be the doubt.

"He's a lovely big horse and we probably got him at the right time," said Moffatt.

"When he started working at home I was initially disappointed, but in the last 10 days he's started to come good.

"Chief Dan George won a Grade One here for me and I was beginning to wonder when another big race would come along.

"We'll have to start thinking about the big race in April, but he's going to need to go up a fair bit to get in."

Tom Scudamore was given a five-day ban (December 19, 20, 21, 22 and 26) - which includes the King George VI Chase - for careless riding on Soll. The rider confirmed his intention to appeal as a reduction of a day would enable him to ride on Boxing Day.

Venetia Williams' Course specialist Bennys Mist (8-1) went two places better than last year in the Betfred Grand Sefton.

Always in a good rhythm for Liam Treadwell, he saw off Top Cat Henry and beat Seventh Sky by nine lengths.

"He comes alive here," said Treadwell, who won the 2009 National with Williams on 100-1 chance Mon Mome.

"His first couple of runs were disappointing, but once he'd winged the first couple of fences I knew he was on a going day."

Sean Quinlan was taken to Fazakerley Hospital for tests after a crashing fall from Mwaleshi.

Jer's Girl (2-1 favourite) looks to have a bright future after making every yard of the running in the Betfred Remembers Howard Kendall Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle to give Richard Johnson another winner.

Gavin Cromwell sent her over from his County Meath base in search of black type and she not only delivered on that score but connections are now well within their rights to aim higher.

"She jumps well, bar the mistake at the last, and she loves the soft ground," said Cromwell.

"She'll go to Leopardstown over Christmas (Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle, December 26) as she'll get all the allowances."

Nigel Twiston-Davies sees Bally Beaufort (3-1) as an ideal Grand National candidate after he landed his second win over the Mildmay fences this season in the Betfred Goals Galore Handicap Chase.