The heart emojis are flowing as fans combine for a Native River lovefest

One day there might be a Native River emoji. For now his legion of fans must settle for the red heart-shaped symbol that was included time and time again on Saturday as affection for the marvellous staying chaser made social media a warm and cosy place.

Racing fans love nothing more than a trier - and it's hard to imagine many horses have ever tried harder than Native River, whose supporters came out in force once again after the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero carried a noseband, blinkers and Jonjo O'Neill jnr to a third success in the Betfair Denman Chase.

Also hard to imagine is a horserace more absorbing, exhausting or exhilarating than the Gold Cup of two years ago, in which Native River duelled with Might Bite from the rising of the tape to the passing of the line.

Both horses gave their all but up the final gruelling hill Might Bite was finally forced to wave the white flag. He has never been the same since that day. Native River has never looked any different.

True, he was unable to win last season, when the legacy of that gargantuan effort was perhaps still leaving a mark. That said, a Gold Cup fourth on unsuitably quick ground was far from a shoddy performance. He gave his all then, just as he gave his all when leading from start to finish to put his name back on the Newbury trophy.

How wonderful it would be if he could do the same at Cheltenham next month.

How wonderful it would be if owners Garth and Anne Broom could pluck up the courage to run their cherished animal in the Grand National.

You can, however, understand their predisposition to play safe.

Native River, never one to turn down a challenge, would almost certainly be horrified.