Last year’s Kim Muir winner at the Cheltenham Festival Junior will run at some stage next month as a preparation race for the Grand National in April.

The David Pipe-trained runner is well fancied for the big race at Aintree and will be looking to give Pipe his second success in the 4m4f steeplechase after Comply or Die’s victory in 2008.

Junior proved his adaptability when winning the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting. He then went on to complete an extraordinary double by winning the Kim Muir by 24 lengths after one of the biggest gambles of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

The Grand National trial at Haydock on February 18 is a possibility for the nine-year-old’s next appearance, after which connections will have to decide his next path. Anyone following the Grand National betting should keep an eye on his efforts.

If Junior does skip the race at the Lancashire track, he could run in the Grimthrope Chase at Doncaster, which would arrive after the weights for the Grand National are revealed.

The Middleham Park Racing LI-owned horse does have an entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, however, their racing manager Tim Palin has admitted that it would be unlikely that Junior would go to the festival this year.

“We gave him the Gold Cup entry mainly in case something happens to one or both of the big two,” he said. “If that were to happen, the race would obviously be thrown wide open.

Pipe would go into the blue riband event double-handed if Junior was to run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Novice chaser Grand Crus could provide his best chance in the race if they skip the RSA Chase and go for the big prize at the festival.