BURTON PORT was an early departure in the Grand National but can make amends in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the jumps season at Sandown.

Hailing from the in-form yard of Jonjo O’Neill, Burton Port was not without his fans at Aintree but he got no further than the second fence as he blundered through the obstacle and unshipped rider Brian Harding.

The 10-year-old had looked a lively outsider on Merseyside after posting a particularly eyecatching run when second to the reopposing Summery Justice on desperate ground at Newbury back in March.

With Burton Port having shown the majority of his best form on quicker ground, that was a decent effort and marked something of a return to form after a string of lacklustre efforts earlier in the season.

He was a classy performer in his younger days, finishing second in the RSA Chase back in 2010 and winning a handful of Grade Two events, but injury has arrested his progress and he lines up here on a mark of 141.

That puts him 6lb better off with Summery Justice this time and it could prove to be a lenient perch if Burton Port can channel his stable’s recent run of form and bounce back to his best.

Sire De Grugy is the star of the show at Sandown, of course, and it would take a sizeable leap of faith to envisage defeat in the bet365 Celebration Chase.

Gary Moore's champion chaser won this recently upgraded Grade One 12 months ago and has simply blossomed this term, with his Cheltenham triumph the crowning moment.

The eight-year-old's speed at which he tackles fences meshes beautifully with Sandown's galloping nature, a factor which further heightens his already watertight chances.

Less clear cut is the £25 Free Bet At corbettsports.com Handicap at Haydock, but it could be beneficial to pledge one's allegiances to Sir Reginald.

Trained by Richard Fahey and owned by Channel 4 Racing sage Jim McGrath, the six-year-old gelding warmed up for this with a really encouraging effort at Doncaster in March.