Former Cheltenham Festival winner Sparky Gayle's participation in the Martell Grand National will hinge upon how he performs when he reappears at Newcastle on February 19th.
The Colin Parker-trained gelding finished seventh, beaten over 30 lengths by the winner Beau, in Saturday's Pertemps Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster.
But his owner Ray Anderson Green said today: "You could be pleased or slightly disappointed with him, he only had his wind operation three weeks ago so if he needed the run - he seemed to run into a brick wall throughout - he probably ran all right.
"He did run in snatches so we are not sure what to make of it so we will run him in a two-and-a-half mile chase on at Newcastle and that will tell us if he has come back to himself properly or not."
Sparky Gayle won the Cathcart Chase at the Festival three years ago and Anderson Green went on: "Sadly, I think that when they have had a wind operation, the reality is that they never get full capacity again.
"If he runs well next time he will definitely go for the National, he will get about 10st 7lb. He is a two-and-a-half-mile horse and that type often runs well at Aintree, and his jumping - famous last words - is safe."
