Mick Kent’s The Pentagon is on his way to contesting back-to-back Grand National Hurdles next month.

The trainer understands that gaining the win will not be easy with the likes of Capecover and Our Aristocrat in the field.

Kent believes that The Pentagon’s biggest threat will be Capecover, who is yet to be beaten over the jumps.

“Who wants to run against that horse,” Kent said.

Capecover has won all three of his jumps starts, while Our Aristocrat remains unbeaten after four runs for his new trainer Eric Musgrove.

“I hope they preserve them and keep him back for next year because those horses are going to be super stars,” Kent said.

Kent said that The Pentagon will have just two more starts before defending his Grand National Hurdle title on August 14.

“The Pentagon is going well. He’ll run in a hurdle at Sandown on July 13 and then have another flat run before the Grand National and that will be it,” Kent said.

The Pentagon will meet Capecover at Sandown on July 13 before they meet again in the National Hurdle.

The trainer is hoping that August will be a wet month, with The Pentagon not suited to dry tracks.

“Hopefully it will be a very heavy track,” Kent said.

The nine-year-old gelding won last year’s race by eight lengths ahead of Regal Heir on a Heavy 10-rated track.