Dorset-based Trainer Colin Tizzard celebrated a magical hour for his Milborne Port yard on Saturday afternoon with five winners at three different tracks.

Grand Vision (5-1) got the ball rolling when collecting in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at Haydock at 3.55pm, before Ceepeegee (7-1) obliged in Wincanton's Bathwick Tyres Bridgwater Handicap Chase at 4.20pm.

It was back to Haydock as 100-30 chance Cannington Brook sauntered home in the Betfred "Double Delight" Novices' Handicap Chase at 4.30pm.

Royal Guardsman (4-1) struck at Ascot 15 minutes later, and could attempt to emulate Cue Card's Cheltenham Champion Bumper success, after pulling seven lengths clear in the Atlantic Enterprises Standard Open NH Flat Race.

To round off proceedings, Theatre Guide (9-4), appropriately under the trainer's son, Joe, landed the Bathwick Tyres Salisbury Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton at 4.50pm. The combined odds of the five-timer totalled 3,379-1.

Devon-based horse Giles Cross may be odds-against to turn up in the Grand National itself – but he left his connections thrilled after claiming a deserved big-race victory in Saturday's Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock.

The dour stayer from Victor Dartnall's Barnstaple yard had to play bridesmaid in the Welsh National at Chepstow for the second successive year in December, making much of the running before being claimed late by Le Beau Bai.

Slightly better off at the weights as the pair renewed rivalries on Merseyside, Giles Cross was sent off as the 4-1 favourite to gain his revenge – and did just that under a magnificent ride from Denis O'Regan, who this time held on to his mount that little bit longer.

With classy top-weight Neptune Collonges for company, Giles Cross produced some prodigious leaps, and plenty of those behind had cried enough by the time that pair rounded the turn for home.

Le Beau Bai stuck to his task as tenaciously as might have been expected, while Irish raider Some Target looked a player racing on his own closest to the grandstand.

However, it was ultimately Giles Cross and Neptune Collonges who fought it out and, while the latter came back very tenaciously as the line approached, Giles Cross was called the winner by a neck. Le Beau Bai was 11 lengths back in third.

O'Regan said: "He's an easy horse to ride, he's very genuine and jumps like a buck.

"I'd love to ride him in a Grand National, the only thing is he needs the ground soft, he'd love the Grand National but whether he gets in I don't know and the ground has to be right.

"He's such a legend, he never runs a bad race."

Winning owner-breeder Kay Birchenhough added: "I'm absolutely thrilled, it doesn't get any better than this.

"I always thought he had a big race in him, we just couldn't shake Le Beau Bai off in the Welsh National but I was eager to take him on again.

"He could run in the National but the ground would have to be soft, if he didn't go there he could go for the Irish National."

Dual Grade One winner and one-time Cheltenham Gold Cup third Neptune Collonges could be Aintree-bound, according to his owner, John Hales.

He said: "He has run a blinder off that weight, you'd have to say he deserves his chance in the National now.

"It would be a real plus if Ruby [Walsh] decides to ride him at Aintree but I have no idea what his plans are."

It was hard to believe Riverside Theatre had been on the sidelines since winning last year's Betfair Ascot Chase as he returned to capture the very same race with another performance of complete authority on Saturday.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and his celebrity part-owner Jimmy Nesbitt were robbed of the opportunity to see their horse compete in the Ryanair Chase, when Riverside Theatre was struck down with a fractured pelvis in the build-up, but the actor has already entered the Cheltenham Festival into his schedule.

The eight-year-old has an efficient way of going about his work, jumping tidily but managing to maintain a steady gallop which was too much for Medermit to replicate.

As much as the grey tried to shackle the 13-8 favourite, he was grasping at thin air as Riverside Theatre and Barry Geraghty strolled past the line three lengths clear.

It was not the 11 lengths margin of the previous renewal, but an indication of this updated effort could be gauged by the 2011 runner-up Gauvain, who was beaten some 23 lengths this time.

Henderson said: "We schooled him over five fences last Thursday and those were the first fences he had jumped since the last here a year ago.

"Barry was brave to go so early, but he was straight enough today. The plan last year was to run here and then the Ryanair, sadly he fractured a pelvis before the Ryanair a year ago. I don't think we will be looking anywhere else [than the Ryanair] now."