The seven-year-old’s victories in the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdles this season have set him up for the final leg of the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown today.

Success would not only ensure a handsome payout for owners, trainer and stable staff, but Go Native would become the first horse since 1971, when Bula obliged, to complete the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Champion Hurdle double in successive seasons.

Trainer Noel Meade is under no illusion about the task that lies ahead of his star, but there are excellent reasons for believing the son of Double Eclipse can buck the trends and etch his name in the history books.

Unlike Go Native, no horse has stamped his authority on the hurdling division this term and by winning two of the most significant trials in good style Meade’s charge has undergone the ideal preparation in comparison with Chief threat Solwhit, who was reported to have suffered a coughing scare last week.

Although only deposing of the hardy Starluck by a narrow margin over Christmas at Kempton, Go Native was value for a good bit more than the official winning margin as he idled when hitting the front after travelling strongly throughout. In fact, this is a characteristic of his make-up as he didn't win by much when scoring from a slightly unfortunate Medermit in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago.

However, Paul Carberry, for whom this has been a testing season for personal reasons, is the perfect ally and supporters of Go Native are unlikely to see the Irish rider play his cards until late in to a fascinating race.