'He could be a National contender' - Gesskille puts last year's defeat behind him with impressive Grand Sefton victory

Nobody could deny Gesskille was due a victory over the famous National fences and his turn finally came with a dominant performance in the Grand Sefton for the rising training force of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.

Beaten a nose in the race 12 months ago and also runner-up in the following month's Becher, Gesskille showed his liking for the course once more to come home two lengths clear of Percussion, who himself was third in both those races last year.

Jockey Henry Brooke got a great tune out of the French-bred seven-year-old on the inner throughout the 2m5f contest and the 100-30 winner responded with some exuberant jumps.

"We were hopeful last year but this year is more relief after going agonisingly close last time," said Greenall. "The blinkers have definitely helped him, as has riding him a bit more positively. The different fences here and at Auteuil suit him really well and he just seems to take lengths out of them with his jumping."

The Greenall and Guerriero stable in Cheshire won at the Cheltenham Festival with Iroko in their first season together and the new campaign has started in promising style, with the Grand National dream now alive with Gesskille, who was cut to 25-1 (from 40) by BoyleSports for the Aintree showpiece in April.

"He could be a National contender," said Greenall. "He's pretty versatile on the ground, though I'm not sure he wants it that heavy. We'll have a look and make a plan. 

"We were thinking of going back to France in the early spring and he might have a break now, but we'll have to see whether the National is something we can do as with the restricted field, he has to go up quite a lot more. He won't go for the Becher this time."

Gesskille (right) jumps alongside runner-up Percussion en route to winning the Grand SeftonCredit: John Grossick

The success was a first on the National course for Greenall, whose father Lord Daresbury was chairman at Aintree for 25 years and owns Gesskille with friends in the Nevers Racing Partnership, having sourced the son of Network in France.

In his days as an amateur rider Greenall was beaten a neck in the Foxhunters' at the course, a race Guerriero won in 2008 on Christy Beamish.

"I've trained winners on the Mildmay course but this is a first on the National course and it's nice," said Greenall. "It's a local track and the first racecourse I ever came to."

The Becher might not be on the radar for the winner, but Percussion is expected to come back here on December 9 when he could be better suited by conditions.

Trainer Laura Morgan said: "It was a great run and I'm delighted. He loves it here. The ground could have been better and he probably wants further than this trip. It will be exciting coming back for the Becher."

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