Young amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, who rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner last month, completed a famous double when guiding Katarino to victory over the Grand National fences in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree today.

Howard Johnson’s decision to resist a tempting engagement in the John Smith’s Grand National with Grey Abbey could reap a rich dividend tomorrow when the 11-year-old lines up for the Betfair Bowl.