FOLLOWING three successive course wins Lord Gyllene faces his stiffest task to date in the Marstons Pedigree Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter today.

Saddled with the well-earned steadier of 11st 10lb, Lord Gyllene has been set to give lumps of weight to Act The Wag (21lb) also on a four-timer and the in-form Musthaveaswig (19lb).

But the manner in which the New Zealand-bred has landed his hat-trick - he has made all, jumping well and scored by an aggregate of 39 lengths - suggests there is more to come.

Stan Clarke, the gelding's owner and chairman of Uttoxeter racecourse, has staked £2,000 at 50 to 1 with Ladbrokes for any horse winning the Singer and Friedlander National Trial, the Midlands Grand National and then finishing in the first four in the real thing at Aintree.

Lord Gyllene completed the first leg of the treble in good style last month, giving an exhibition round of jumping from the front and staying on strongly to beat subsequent Racing Post Chase winner Mudahim by eight lengths.

Lord Gyllene can set up the bonus with victory in today's £50,000-added marathon.

The current dry spell has left conditions at the Staffordshire track ideal for Domappel, and Julie Cecil's five-year-old looks the one to be on in the Scottish Equitable/Jockeys Association Series (Final).

Domappel ran a good race at Doncaster last time when having his first run for almost six weeks. Attempting to make all, the bay gelding was headed at the last by an in-form Dual Image. Although keeping on well under pressure, Mrs Cecil's charge was denied by a length and three quarters.

Successful earlier in the season at Warwick, Domappel can register his second win of the term in this trappy handicap.

Mock Trial is worth an interest off a low weight in the Student City Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle.

Tackling two and a half miles for the first time at Leicester in January, Lynda Ramsden's four-year-old showed improved form. Always in touch, the Sandhutton raider led four out and went on to win as he pleased by three lengths from Lance Armstrong.

Open to further improvement, Mock Trial can defy a 7lb rise in the weights to take this two-and-a-half-miler.

Bought privately out of Chris Thornton's yard for 30,000 guineas, the fair Flat stayer Eau de Cologne has shown some promise in both starts over hurdles for Lydia Richards.

Most recently he was a staying on seven-length second to Harbet House at Lingfieid.