THE bookies were toasting a Cheltenham victory for Bradford District-based outsider Vintage Clouds (28-1) on Tuesday afternoon, but it came as no surprise to his veteran trainer Sue Smith.

Eleven-year-old Vintage Clouds, ridden by Ryan Mania, won the Ultima Handicap Chase at the fifth attempt, making a strong start and maintaining that to win by five-and-a-half lengths from favourite Happygolucky (10-3).

A delighted Smith, who runs the stables up at Craiglands Farm in High Eldwick, Bingley with husband Harvey, said: “We knew if he had another go, he’d run a big race.

“Everything was in his favour, he was in good form, it was good ground for him, and he duly obliged.

“He’d placed a couple of times in the race before, so we were doing everything to get him that win.

“It’s more than likely he’ll enter the Scottish Grand National next month, well he will, though we’re just depending a bit on what the handicapper decides for him after his win at Cheltenham.

“That’s his next target, as it’s a race he’s done well in in the past.”

Talking about her and Harvey’s trust in Mania, Smith said: “Ryan is riding for us now and obviously he rode us the winner of the Grand National back in 2013 (66-1 outsider Auroras Encore).

“He said Vintage Clouds needed a wind op after riding him at Cheltenham last year, so he’s had that this season and it’s helped him greatly.”

Asked where Tuesday’s win ranks in her long career as a trainer, Smith said: “It’s right up at the top, you can’t get any better than a win in the Grand National or at Cheltenham.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a novice hurdle or one of the top class races when it comes to Cheltenham, it’s just great to get a win there, as it’s the culmination of the season really.”

Vintage Clouds is not the only top-quality horse up at Craiglands Farm either.

Asked who else we need to be keeping an eye out for, Smith said: “Midnight Shadow is still one of our top runners and we’ve also got a lot of young horses who are coming along nicely.

“We want to give them plenty of novice hurdle and bumper races, so there’s a lot for us to look forward to over the next couple of years.”

She added: “We’ve got about 45 to 50 horses up here in Bingley, some younger and some at the older end of the scale, and we’re very happy with that.

“It’s a good set-up with great gallops. We’re a bit weather-dependent with things likes frosts, but that’s perfectly normal.”

Smith is now 73, and husband Harvey is 82. Both were showjumpers at international level in their younger days, and have now been trainers for over 30 years.

But any thoughts of retirement are not on the agenda for the pair, with Smith insisting: “We’ll probably keep going for a while yet.

“Harvey and I both love horses and besides, what else would we do?”

Smith has no other runners at Cheltenham this week, but several at Newcastle on Saturday.