Niall Hannity, who hails from Downpatrick, brightened up a damp day at Sedgefield yesterday with a 161 to 1 three-timer.

George Moore stole the training headlines with a treble, providing 5lb claimer Hannity with two winners. Moore kicked off proceedings with Finnure (Russ Garritty) in division one of the maiden chase. The success put him on the 13-winner mark for the season and he was relieved to quickly leave that total courtesy of King's Hussar (Hannity) in the handicap hurdle.

"I'm pleased he's won, it's taken me off the 13 mark," said Moore of the 100 to 30 chance. "But for me he couldn't win the race down the back, I thought he had too much to do."

The Moore-Hannity partnership struck again when Poachers Run stayed on strongly to land the closing novices' hurdle. The middle leg of Hannity's treble came when guiding Made Of Steel to victory.

Last year's winner Bobbyjo headed the biggest initial Martell Grand National field for 14 years when entries closed yesterday. Tommy Carberry's gelding, one of 19 Irish entries, is joined by the 1999 third Call It A Day, fourth Addington Boy, fifth Feels Like Gold, sixth Brave Highlander and seventh Kendal Cavalier in an entry of 108 for the Aintree marathon. Weights will be published a week on Tuesday.