DO BE BRIEF, denied an entry for the Aintree Grand National as he was not rated highly enough, is back on the staying chase trail following victory at Newbury yesterday.

Jenny Pitman's 11-year-old owned by Hot Chocolate lead singer Erroll Brown, made virtually all the running under stable jockey Warren Marston in the Tangley Handicap Chase, beating Philip's Woody by three lengths.

"He did it the hard way," said Mrs Pitman's son Mark. "It's pleasing for the owners as they've had a tough year with him but the horse should go on from here."

Do Be Brief will be entered for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter on Saturday week though Pitman conceded that the horse, rated 109 before this success, may struggle to get into the handicap. "He'll be entered for the Scottish National in any case," added Pitman.

Nicky Mann equalled last season's score when Harding gave him his sixth winner of the campaign in the Coombe Handicap Hurdle. Mann went for home three out on Stan Mellor's five-year-old to beat Jimmy's Cross by 12 lengths.

Harding is by the sprinter Dowsing out of the 1986 Cesarewitch winner Orange Hill and Mellor said: "With that pedigree we didn't know what his trip would be but it turns out that all he does is stay. Today was the first time he got a proper gallop on a galloping track."

Mann and Mellor had earlier been before the stewards over the running and riding of Legible, runner up to Alltime Dancer in the Inkpen Novices' Hurdle. Legible was tailed off on his British debut at Kempton last month, but yesterday made late headway to be beaten only two lengths without ever threatening the winner.

After the stewards accepted his explanation Mellor commented: "Legible blew up twice and when he got his third wind he ran on."