Grand National 2019: Native River could sport blinkers as connections eye Aintree assingment

NATIVE RIVER could be fitted with blinkers in the Betway Bowl at Aintree next month.

The Grade 1 winner was a fine fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last week and is likely to head to the Grand National meeting - provided the ground is suitable.

Although unable to repeat his heroics of last season, the nine-year-old was never allowed to dominate in the same manner and eventually got done for a bit of toe.

However, owner Garth Broom believes the addition of blinkers could eke out improvement and is keen to see his star run at the Grand National meeting.

He said: "I think he would have run better (in the Gold Cup) if it was slightly softer ground.

"He was a bit sluggish away and had to use up so much fuel to get his position that there wasn't a lot left at the end.

"He ran a grand race, though, and I think the race actually 23 seconds quicker this year so probably ran close to last year's form on times.

"He's come out of the race fine and we might run in the Bowl at Aintree next, but we'll have to see how he is and what the ground is like.

"We might put some blinkers on him to get him to travel a bit better.

"He's had cheekpieces for a few years and we were thinking of the blinkers for the Gold Cup, but that's not exactly the best place to experiment because sometimes horses won't go a yard in them.