Nick Rockett set for crucial racecourse return on Tuesday

Grand National hero Nick Rockett is poised to fulfil the requirements of defending his title at Aintree next month with an appearance at Down Royal on Tuesday.

The nine-year-old has not been seen since galloping to an emotional National success for the father-and-son team of Patrick and Willie Mullins in Liverpool last spring, and needs to have run at least once over fences during the current season to qualify for this year’s contest.

Owned by Stewart Andrew, he did have the option of running in the Cheltenham Gold Cup before being scratched at the six-day stage, but will now go for the calmer waters of the Bluegrass Racehorse Cube Chase card, where chief rival is set to be Gordon Elliott’s Grade One-winning Gerri Colombe.

Nick Rockett has been allocated 11st 11lb to carry in the National if returning to Aintree, with his winning rider from 12 months ago expressing his desire to be reunited on Merseyside despite the interrupted preparation this term.

Speaking at the unveiling of the weights last month, Mullins said: “Without a doubt I’d love to ride Nick Rockett again. We’ve got a good team of jockeys and I don’t think there will be any shortage of volunteers to ride our horses!”

“We have no complaints with his weight. We haven’t had a clear run with him and he had an over-reach before the John Durkan. He then had a setback just before Christmas, so we’re behind where we want to be.

“He’s back riding and we’re hoping to get a run into him before Aintree, so we’re hoping to find a race for him somewhere. We’ve no plan for him yet, but we should get him there, all being well.”

The Bluegrass Racehorse Cube Chase is the feature of Down Royal’s St Patrick’s Day card, with Roi Mage (Patrick Griffin), Perceval Legallois (Gavin Cromwell) and The Gradual Slope (Sean O’Brien) joining Nick Rockett and Gerri Colombe in a five-strong line-up.