In fairytale fashion the 2002 Aintree Grand National hero Bindaree regained the winning thread with a thrilling victory over Sir Rembrandt in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Saturday.

The pair had battled out of the finish of the Rehearsal Chase over three furlongs shorter at the same course earlier this month, when Sir Rembrandt prevailed, but this time Bindaree outstayed his old rival in the mud by half a length following an epic duel.

Victory was sweet for Bindaree's trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Carl Llewellyn as both are Welsh, and the trainer was taking the valuable prize for the second time, having been successful with Earth Summit in 1997.

Twiston-Davies admitted he had never lost faith in Bindaree, who had not won since his Grand National victory 20 months ago.

He said: ''He's a lovely old horse and very, very brave and he deserved that as he really stuck his head out in the closing stages.

''He was never really right last year after he had won at Aintree, but he has really come back to himself this season and has looked a much better horse at home.

''As long as he comes out of this race in good style we will train him for another crack at the Grand National next April as he likes it there. He wasn't beaten far in last year's race considering the mistakes he made at Bechers on both circuits.''

Llewellyn is the first Welsh-born jockey to win the race since the legendary Dick Francis was successful aboard Crudwell back in 1956, and he showed his delight.

He said: ''It's brilliant for me and Nigel to win this race as we are both Welsh, but don't forget Bindaree, as he really put his head down and battled for me and I couldn't be more pleased for him''.

Sir Rembrandt's rider Andrew Thornton took defeat for the 2-1 favourite philosophically, saying: ''No excuses. He hit the fifth-last fence but landed running. If anything the soft ground was just against him with all his weight, but I couldn't be more pleased with him.''

Second favourite Hedgehunter had every chance in the straight but his effort petered out in the closing stages, and if there were any hard luck stories it may well have been Akarus and Kings Mistral, who fell independently four from home when still travelling well in front.

Bindaree earned a quote of 20-1 with William Hill for the Grand National, while Sir Rembrandt is a 14-1 shot from 16-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Twiston-Davies and Llewellyn had initiated a 34.75-1 double when Lord Maizey proved three-and-a-quarter lengths too tough for Jimmy Tennis in the Ray Horton Memorial Handicap Chase.

Lord Maizey took advantage of the departure of fellow joint-favourite Claymore at the second-last fence to win eased down.

Twiston-Davies said: ''He is getting better and better as he goes on, but only a couple of horses really seemed to handle the conditions out there and he was one of them.''

Welsh trainer Evan Williams sent out his biggest ever success when 40-1 Sunray belied his long odds to take the eLINIA Finale Juvenile Hurdle at the expense of favourite Mondul.

The Grade One contest looked to be between odds-on shot Mondul and Tony McCoy's mount Adopted Hero, but Sunray came from way off the pace to lead at the last and score by three lengths.

Adopted Hero made a hash of the flight and was run out of second place by Mondul.

Williams was at Leicester, but his wife Katherine said: ''We only got our licence last May and this is our eighth winner.

''It's brilliant to win a valuable race such as this at what is our local course.''