Broadway Boy team plotting Grand National route

All roads lead to the Randox Grand National with Boy after his team found valid excuses for his below-par display at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

A three-time winner at Prestbury Park last season, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ seven-year-old returned to his beloved Cotswolds track as the heavy favourite to build on a brave second in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

However, he failed to travel and jump with his usual zest, leaving his team scratching their heads as he trailed home a well-held fourth of five in a race he was expected to dominate.

Post-race examinations revealed what could have caused the underwhelming performance, with connections now prepared to draw a line through the run as they plot a course to the Grand National.

Haydock’s Grand National Trial (February 15) or the chance to correct the Cheltenham record in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival (March 12) are two possible options en route to Aintree, with the Twiston-Davies operation also having Beauport on course for the April showpiece.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, explained: “He trach washed very unsatisfactory after and he has slight mucus in his lungs which wasn’t ideal and afterwards we found he was slightly lame and that is probably why he didn’t jump as well as he can.

“He’s had a bit of treatment on his knees and it’s nice to have two valid excuses as he was a completely different horse to the one we’ve seen before.

“We’re very confident we can get him back to his best for either the Ultima or Haydock’s Grand National Trial.

“We’ll either go Grand National Trial, Ultima then Grand National, or we will just do Grand National Trial or Ultima then straight National, I’m not sure yet but those are the three races we’re going to look at.”

Boy can be backed at a best price of 20-1 for the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival, while his Grand National odds are a general 66-1.