Racing: Garrison mobilises for National mission: Three years after agonising defeat, a veteran steeplechaser shows he is in shape for another tilt at Aintree glory

ONE OF racing's most erratic careers may yet reach a glorious climax. Garrison Savannah returned to the winners' enclosure yesterday for the first time since his success in the 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and he is now as low as 20-1 for the Grand National on 9 April.

As anyone who backed him for the National of 1991 will recall with a wince, as the field turned for home in that race Garrison Savannah looked long odds-on to win. Attempting to become the first horse since Golden Miller in the 1930s to win the Gold Cup and the National in the same season, he jumped to the front two out and quickly went clear. But Seagram came to catch him on the run-in, and Garrison Savannah slid swiftly from the edge of greatness, via injury and with apparent indifference, into the file marked 'yesterday's horses'.

His regular followers during this trying three years are now mostly bankrupt or certified, but not Jenny Pitman, his trainer, who remains the gelding's most enthusiastic fan. Mrs Pitman was close to tears yesterday as Garrison Savannah was led in after beating Ryde Again, his stable-mate, and Waterloo Boy, the favourite, by three lengths and five.

'I can't tell you how much that means to me,' she said. 'People don't know what an awful time we've had with him. Even the year he won the Gold Cup he had been out with a shoulder injury, and we didn't get a clear run to the National.'

Garrison Savannah was without his familiar blue blinkers yesterday, for the first time since his novice season. 'We were gambling today by leaving the blinkers off,' the trainer said, 'but Mark (her son and assistant) recommended it after riding him hunting.'

If Garrison Savannah can return to within a stone of his best form, the National weights appear to give him a leading chance. He carried 11st 1lb when narrowly beaten three years ago, but is set to shoulder just 10st if he lines up at Aintree in April. The sums were not lost on the bookmakers, both Ladbrokes and Coral cutting him to 20-1, from 33-1 and 40-1 respectively.

Garrison Savannah's next assignment will be the Gold Cup (40-1 from 50-1 with Ladbrokes), but Waterloo Boy, who was giving him 12lb yesterday, will not be attending the Festival. 'He is getting old now,' David Nicholson, his trainer, said.

Adrian Maguire, Nicholson's stable jockey, was at Huntingdon, where six booked rides produced one winner, So Discreet, thanks to a rare favour from the stewards. So Discreet, a 4-7 favourite, passed the post only second behind Mistic Glen, who had been backed from to 7-1 from 16-1. He had bumped So Discreet on the run-in, however, and the stewards reversed the placings. Richard Dunwoody rode two winners at Wincanton to move six behind Maguire in the jockeys' championship.

Steve Smith Eccles may have left his title challenge a little late. At Huntingdon yesterday, Atlaal gave jumping's senior jockey his first success since Carlingford Lakes, also at Huntingdon, on 23 November. 'In 20 years' riding, I've never been so long without a winner,' he said. Ferdy Murphy broke a long lean spell too. The trainer had been 97 days without a victory before Southolt's success at the same course.

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