Ziga Boy looks ready to be rated for a tilt at the National

The Alan King-trained grey might take in the Betfred National Trial at Haydock on February 18 before going for the world’s greatest steeplechase, sponsored by Randox Health.

Ziga Boy entered the reckoning for the Merseyside spectacular when winning Doncaster’s historic handicap in fine style last month under a bold front-running ride by Tom Bellamy, who was recording his biggest career victory.

Thanks to that, the handicapper gave him a helping hand in the race to make the cut for the Grand National by raising his rating to 147 from 137.

The cut-off point for National places last year was 145.

“He’s fine after Doncaster. Everything just worked out for him. It was a carbon copy of last year really,” said Dan Downie, racing manager for owners Axom.

“He’s been given an entry in the Grand National Trial at Haydock and I suppose we’ll be seriously considering the Grand National.

“He’s been put up to 147 so I’d have thought he should get in the race off that. You’d think he’d jump round as he is a good jumper.”

Yanworth could have his prep run at Wincanton ahead of the Stan James Champion Hurdle after a minor setback forced him to miss his race at Sandown.

A slight pulled muscle forced the aforementioned King to ditch plans to run the JP McManus-owned gelding in the Contenders Hurdle on Saturday.

Winner of Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle, Yanworth is a major contender for the Champion Hurdle after the injury absence of 2016 heroine Annie Power and persistent doubts surrounding the form and fitness of her stablemate Faugheen at the powerhouse yard of Willie Mullins in Ireland.

Harry Cobden, 18 and this season’s leading conditional, rode out his claim when Diego Du Charmil won the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh.