Henry Daly may plot a path back to the Grand National via novice hurdles with Fortescue following his fourth placed finish in the Becher Chase earlier this month.

Under 3lb claimer Hugh Nugent, the eight-year-old stayed on nicely following an unpromising start to the three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap, run over the National fences.

A close-up third to the high-class Royale Pagaille in the Grade Two Peter Marsh at Haydock in January, Fortescue subsequently landed the valuable Listed Swinley Chase at Ascot the following month.

Winner of six of his 16 starts over fences and runner-up on a further three occasions, he had shown an aptitude for jumping the famous spruce-covered fences on his first try in the Grand National last season, before unseating Nugent four fences from home.

Daly is keen to return and make it third-time lucky at the Merseyside track in April.

“It was unfortunate we missed the break, but I thought he jumped very well, and he ran nicely,” Daly said of his most recent effort behind Ashtown Lad.

“He will be targeted at the National. There is the possibility of continuing to run in novice hurdles, because, rather spectacularly, I have failed to win a novice hurdle with him!

“Interestingly, he will need to be rated 144 or 145 to get in the National and he’s 144 at the moment.

“So, it is one of those things, he could easily run in a novice hurdle and the plan is, at the moment, in my mind, that’s what we’re doing.

“He has come out of the race fine and hasn’t turned a hair.”