Bashboy's owners ruled out an English campaign a year ago but the champion jumper's trainer Ciaron Maher said he would be open to an overseas mission.

He and Bashboy's owners discussed the possibility of heading to England after last year's Australian jumps season but decided to keep him at home to target a record third-straight Grand National Steeplechase.

It was not to be, with the 10-year-old brave in defeat on Sunday at Sandown, lumping 74.5kg to second place behind Wells who had 9kg less.

"I'd still take him," Maher said after Sunday's race.

"Financially he's probably better to stay here, and you know the weight scales of races.

"It would just be interesting to see where he lines up over there."

Maher believes Bashboy has the right attributes for English racing given he can stay, he likes wet ground, can carry weight and would handle the bigger obstacles.

"If there were bigger fences here, I would be racing him over them," Maher said.

"He ticks all the boxes to go there. It's just whether they want to or not."

Bashboy has been Australia's champion jumper for the past two seasons.