Mac Tottie set for Grand National challenge after Grand Sefton triumph

Peter Bowen is set to strike while the iron is hot and aim his Grand Sefton Chase winner Mac Tottie at the Randox Grand National next spring.

And he could first bid to complete a unique double by running the eight-year-old in the Becher Chase back at Aintree next month.

Bowen was winning a race over the famous fences for the fifth time when Mac Tottie took the 2m5f Grand Sefton under his son James on Saturday and he identified the chaser as a likely future National contender.

Having initially said he would wait and see, the trainer is now minded to target next April and said: "You'd have to think that way. Obviously he's got to go up a fair bit in the handicap but you don't want to go up so much that he won't be competitive.

Mac Tottie: 'Obviously he's got to go up a fair bit in the handicap but you don't want to go up so much that he won't be competitive'Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"He'll stay the trip, the way he stayed was his forte on Saturday. His dam stayed well and he's by Midnight Legend so he's bred to stay."

Mac Tottie is a 50-shot with Paddy Power for the National, in which Bowen's McKelvey finish second to Silver Birch in 2007.

Bringing the Grand Sefton forward a month from its former date on the Becher Chase card gives Mac Tottie the option of another sighter over the fences on December 4.

"He's come out of it really well, you wouldn't know he's even had a race," Bowen said. "We'll wait a week and have a look at where we'll go but he'll probably have an entry in the Becher Chase.

"It wouldn't be impossible. There's a nice gap between the races and it would be a unique double – it's never been done before because they've always been run on the same day!"

Read more:

Team Bowen at it again over National fences as Mac Tottie wins Grand Sefton

James Bowen pulls off extraordinary feat after riding a winner with one rein

'He's another AP without a doubt' – more praise for Bowen after exceptional ride

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