Twiston-Davies pair firmly on course for Grand National mission

and are ready to form a two-pronged assault on the Randox for Nigel Twiston-Davies, having come through a pre-Aintree schooling session with flying colours.

The owners of both horses have seen their colours run with distinction on Merseyside in the past, while the marathon event is a race Twiston-Davies has won twice with Earth Summit in 1998 and Bindaree four years later.

Both Beauport and Broadway Boy have shown their suitability for the stamina-sapping event and underwent a key morning in their preparations when making the short trip from the Twiston-Davies team’s Naunton stables to Cheltenham to school over the replica on the cross-country circuit.

“They’ve both schooled brilliantly this morning at Cheltenham over the Grand National fence and I think they go there with lively each-way chances,” said Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant trainer to his father.

“They popped over the Grand National fence on the cross-country course and were both very good.

“Obviously they would both like softer ground, but hopefully they will water before the race.”

Winner of the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in the spring of last year, Beauport sports the colours of the National-winning Corbiere and firmly entered the picture with a demolition of his rivals in the Berkshire National at Ascot earlier in the season.

He has since finished second in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Christmas before again running with credit over the smaller obstacles at Haydock last month.

“Beauport has put his season together really well and has been consistent all season, which he wasn’t the year before,” continued Twiston-Davies. “We know he stays well which is a big thing for the National.”

Meanwhile, Broadway Boy’s owner David Proos has seen his family’s silks carried to third in the 1990 Grand National with Rinus and will be dreaming of going two places better if the seven-year-old can rediscover his best form.

Twiston-Davies added: “The ground was just a bit too quick for him last time (in the Ultima at Cheltenham) and he will run in cheekpieces.

“Realistically he looks leniently treated off 150, he just needs to start putting his runs together.

“If he bounced back to the form of his Newbury run in the Coral Gold Cup he would have a great chance, but obviously his last two runs have been disappointing.”