Navan warm-up on the agenda again for Delta Work

Veteran will then chase Cheltenham Festival Cross Country hat-trick.

Delta Work is to follow a tried-and-tested route when he returns to the track in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott’s 11-year-old ran in the Navan Grade Two event last year, finishing sixth to Blazing Khal, before going on to successfully defend his cross country crown at the Cheltenham Festival and is set to make his first appearance since November in the two-mile-five-furlong event on February 11.

He has finished his campaign in the Grand National the past two seasons and all roads seem to lead to a third crack at the Aintree showpiece in April, having finished third behind Noble Yeats in 2022 before unseating Keith Donoghue when travelling kindly on the second circuit last year.

However, Delta Work will have his well-being to prove on his return to the track this time, having arrived home lame following an outing at Cheltenham earlier in the season.

“He was lame after Cheltenham and is OK again now,” said Eddie O’Leary of owners Gigginstown House Stud.

“The plan is to go Boyne Hurdle, Cross Country at Cheltenham and then Grand National.

“Everything is fine at the moment but he was sore after (his run at Cheltenham). Hopefully we see him at Navan.”

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