Native River's Grand National tilt may be on hold until next year
By Timeform,
Monday 10 February
Owner Garth Broom has urged punters to hold their Grand National bets on Native River - with the Cheltenham Gold Cup still this season's main aim.
While Broom has not ruled out a trip to Liverpool next year, the short gap between Cheltenham and Aintree this time round is likely to see the 10-year-old miss the famous race.
Broom feels the Colin Tizzard-trainer chaser has one last chance of reclaiming the blue riband event he won in 2018, and that is next month - after his comfortable victory at Newbury on Saturday.
Native River does it again, holding off Secret Investor to land the Denman Chase for @colintizzard and @JJONeillJnr
— Newbury Racecourse (@NewburyRacing) February 8, 2020
👏🐎👏 pic.twitter.com/OFJbo5RFPf
"It will be interesting to see what weight he gets, but his main aim this year is the Gold Cup," said Broom.
"If he has a hard race it's only three weeks to the National - so I wouldn't advise anyone to put any money on him, because if he runs his race I don't know if he'd have enough recovery time. He goes well fresh.
"Maybe next season it could be more of a target - when he'll be 11 and the Gold Cup looks a little unrealistic - but if something happened and he couldn't run in the Gold Cup then we'd still have another option.
"The thing is I think the horse is brave enough for the National - but I don't know if the owners are! We get so uptight, even on Saturday. We love him so much.
"With your head, he looks ideal for the National. But the problem is the owners, not the horse - we've got so attached to him. If anything happened we'd never forgive ourselves.
"If he's fit and well next season it's more likely. This season it's more on stand-by. If he runs his race in the Gold Cup I couldn't see him running, but we're not ruling it completely out at this stage.
"He wins his races by making all - but can you make all over four and a quarter miles? That's the million-dollar question, I suppose."
Reflecting on Saturday's victory, Broom said: "It was the perfect result. He's got a real following now - he's spent time as a forgotten horse, but I think he's been so consistent for so long he's earned his place now.
"He's still never been out of the first four over fences. Possibly winning the Gold Cup left its mark on him last season - (that race) seems to have done so to Might Bite, but Dicky (Johnson) said at Aintree he felt a different horse to at any stage last season.
"He's the horse of a lifetime, we realise that. If he runs to the form he's shown this season he should be bang there again in the Gold Cup. Obviously some younger ones are coming through - they always are - but he'll make the others know they've had a race, that is almost certain.
"He doesn't need it heavy in the Gold Cup. He actually handles good ground really well - it's just the others don't handle heavy as well as he did.
"He also had a new jockey on Saturday, and I thought young Jonjo (ONeill) did exceptionally well on him."
Related Horse Racing Links
Grand National 2021 News
Find out all the information about the runners and riders in the 2021 Grand National
Randox agree five-year National Meeting extension
Randox has agreed a five-year extension to its current sponsorship of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.
Might Bite set for Grand Sefton test
Might Bite is set to have a spin over the Grand National fences next month with Nicky Henderson eyeing the William Hill Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree.
Grand National the ultimate aim for Potters Corner
Last year’s Coral Welsh National winner Potters Corner is not certain to defend his Chepstow crown next month, with the Grand National his main target.
View all Grand National 2021 News
Grand National 2021 Free Bets
Exclusive free bets and offers for the 2021 Grand National at Aintree
.png "New customers, bet £/€20 on the Exchange and if your first bet loses, we’ll refund you £/€20 in Cash. T&Cs apply. 18+|Gamble Aware.")