Beauport the pickfor Twiston-Davies

Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies has confirmed he’ll be back on board Beauport in the Randox Grand National.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies yard is fully intending to be doubly-represented in the Aintree marathon, with last year’s Midlands Grand National hero Beauport set to be joined in the National field by Broadway Boy.
With Broadway Boy disappointing on his two most recent starts and the nine-year-old Beauport holding his form well over hurdles since winning a valuable handicap chase at Ascot on seasonal debut in November, the stable jockey has firmed up riding plans for Saturday week.
“I’m going to have a go on Beauport, all being well,” he told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. “We took them both, thanks to Cheltenham who allowed us to take them there and jump their National-style fence which is obviously the ‘Canal Turn’ in the Cross Country, and they both jumped it really well and they’re both in very good form. So we’re hopeful.
“I really thought Broadway Boy would go very well at Cheltenham but he was disappointing, whereas Beauport’s had a really good prep and it’s always been the plan. I’m just very much hoping he can go and run a massive race, but in truth I’m hoping they both run very well.
“Tom Bellamy will ride Broadway Boy, he knows the horse well so that’s a good match as well.
“They [Bryan and Philippa Burrough, owners of Beauport and 1983 National winner Corbiere] have obviously got history in the race, they know the race well and know exactly the type of horse you needed to be buying to win it. With their young horses they’ve always bought that nice stamp of horse and he very much fits the bill.”
Asked about whether Beauport might need really soft ground to maximise his claims in the great race, Twiston-Davies said: “I don’t think so, you have to remember as well that Aintree like to water their National course quite heavily because obviously they want to take a lot of pace out of the race.
“So they’ll put a lot of water on it and I don’t think you’ll ever see a quick-ground Grand National again. I’m sure you’ll see it riding on the slow side anyway.”