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Former Gold Cup winner ‘looks great’ – and Grand National could come into the equation.

Native River  will take his first step towards a fourth outing in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a racecourse gallop at Newbury next week, ahead of his return to action.

The Colin Tizzard-trained 2018 Gold Cup winner will exercise alongside stablemates Thistlecrack, Mister Malarky and Robinsfirth, before making his seasonal bow in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree on December 7.

Although the 10-year-old failed to register a win last season, he ran some admirable races in defeat and was fourth to Al Boum Photo in the defence of his Cheltenham crown in March.

Assistant trainer Joe Tizzard said: "He is going to have a gallop on Tuesday at Newbury, then the first target is the Many Clouds at Aintree.

"We will make a plan after that. He is ready to have a gallop and as you will see on Tuesday he looks great.

"At the moment it is all about the Many Clouds. Hopefully he will go for another Gold Cup and that would be the main plan and I would think we would take in something like the Denman again en route.

"We have not ruled the Grand National out and it's a possibility after the Gold Cup, but he could easily run in the Bowl there as well."