Robbie Laing's stellar season continues to roll on with him winning Sunday's Grand National Hurdle (4530m) at Sandown with Desert Master who he has trained for just two months.Laing, who is the fourth trainer of the eight-year-old, only took the grey on after telling owner Bruce Cooke that he could win the National with him following his fifth of seven to Hooker Road in the Australian Hurdle in June."Mazzacano had just won the Australian Steeple and I gave Cookie a dig in the side and told him i

Robbie Laing's stellar season continues to roll on with him winning Sunday's Grand National Hurdle (4530m) at Sandown with Desert Master who he has trained for just two months.

Laing, who is the fourth trainer of the eight-year-old, only took the grey on after telling owner Bruce Cooke that he could win the National with him following his fifth of seven to Hooker Road in the Australian Hurdle in June.

"Mazzacano had just won the Australian Steeple and I gave Cookie a dig in the side and told him if you want to win the National Hurdle give me a ring," Laing recalled.

Desert Master was trained by Russell Cameron but Laing and Cooke go back to close to 20 years.

Laing helped establish Cooke's Riverend Park training complex before a succession of trainers - Brad Marzato, Brian Jenkins, Russell Cameron and most recently Barry Barnes headed up the operation.

Laing, who trained the quinella of the 2006 Grand National with Busby Glenn and Sir Pentire, was particularly chuffed with Desert Master's Grand National victory as he bought his grand dam El Qashelle, a half sister to VRC Oaks winner Pindi, for $120,000.

When he identified her as being too slow he recommended to Cooke she be covered by Toy Pindarri which resulted in the foaling of Desert Master whose flat performances include a third to The Fuzz and Zavite in the 2007 Geelong Cup as well as a second in the 2006 Andrew Ramsden Stakes and fifth in the 2006 Brisbane Cup.

His first jumps win was the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool in May and he was having only his sixth hurdle start on Sunday.

"He is still learning," Laing said. "He is going to be a great horse when he learns to jump."

Laing gave Desert Master two weeks off before he arrived at his Cranbourne stables and at his second start for him he was beaten a neck by Black And Bent in the Lachal Hurdle on August 15.

"I was pretty confident he could win today," Laing said.

"He raced a bit fresh when he was narrowly beaten the other day after two months off over the hurdles.

"He had had a bad fall in a hurdle trial a week before that race and copped a bit of bruising but he was a bit better today."

"He doesn't know when to lie down. He is a very, very tough stayer and he just keeps going."

Jockey Adam Trinder has been Desert Master's jumps partner and has liked him for the National from the time he first jumped him last winter.

"This was 12 months in the making," Trinder said.

"I said he would win a National when I first started jumping him," Trinder said.

"He jumped a bit indifferent today but he was effective.

"There were a few chances with a half mile to run but I still thought he had something offer when he jumped the last as I hadn't gone for him."

Desert Master made the running and weathered a challenge from Juan Carlos up the straight before going away again on the line to line win by 1-1/4 lengths with Yamanaura a short head away third.