IT is little wonder senior National Hunt handicapper Phil Smith takes very few Grand National chances with horses that have performed well at Liverpool before.

The 13-year-old Oscar Time, second and fourth in the marathon when trained by Martin Lynch, is still a force to be reckoned with and was given a perfect ride by Sam Waley-Cohen when taking the Grade 3 Betfred Becher Handicap Chase last Saturday.

His starting price of 25/1 meant most people considered him a light of other days, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Oscar Time was bought by Robert Waley-Cohen to run in the National and was therefore Sam’s ride even when he was trained in Ireland. However, Waley-Cohen senior both owns and trains him now.

Across The Bay and Alfie Spinner were always well there but it was David Pipe’s 8/1 favourite Our Father who committed before three out and raised his supporters’ hopes.

However, Waley-Cohen is never in too much of a hurry and with Our Father spent at the last, Oscar Time challenged and went on.

He was always doing enough afterwards, although Mendip Express closed to within three-quarters of a length at the line, followed by Saint Are and Alfie Spinner.

The younger Waley-Cohen has a superb record over these fences. Three times successful against fellow amateurs, he also rode Liberthine to victory against professionals in the Topham in 2006.

Robert Waley-Cohen said: “We’ve had the most enormous fun with this horse. He was second in the National the first year and fourth two years later, when he got injured. We nursed him back to health, he won a point-to-point very easily, then a hunter chase, which he won, then another, so we said: ‘He’s 13 but he’s still got it”.

“This was the obvious target because he’s a better horse here than anywhere else. But he’ll miss the Grand National. He doesn’t quite get the trip and, at the age of 14, it might be asking a bit too much.”

Mr Smith will no doubt be suitably relieved.

The three Irish-trained runners had little luck with Goonyella unseating Johnny Burke at the first, Gordon Elliott’s well fancied Balbriggan sadly broke a leg after the ninth fence and Lion Na Bearnai was pulled up.