'Everything is on course to start on Sunday' - Mahler Mission set for seasonal return at Carlisle

Mahler Mission is poised to make his seasonal reappearance in the Colin Park Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday before a possible tilt at the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

The seven-year-old, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, switched to chasing last season and won a beginners' chase at Navan before finishing a close second in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase at the same venue.

His latest effort came in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, when he had his rivals on the stretch before coming down at the second-last when four lengths clear.

He will be taking a marked drop in trip on his reappearance over two and a half miles in a race won by the likes of Lostintranslation, Waiting Patiently and Many Clouds in recent times.

Trainer John McConnell said: "Carlisle is our first choice and that looks like where we're going to go. It was a big disappointment at Cheltenham, but he showed enough there to suggest we have a very good horse on our hands.

"It was just a case of getting him right and he's had a nice summer off. He's in good form and we're happy with him. He seems like he's his old self and, touch wood, he hasn’t had any problems at all. Everything is on course to start on Sunday.

"He's probably a little bit stronger this season as he was always a big frame of a horse, and he's starting to fill out now. He looks as good as he has ever looked and if that shows on the track it will be exciting."

The trainer suggested the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on December 2 could be Mahler Mission's next assignment, and added: "We've got him entered at Newbury and if things go well here [Carlisle] we would look at that race afterwards.

"He's done very little wrong, to be honest. He took to fences well last season and hopefully he can keep progressing this season. Anything he was doing over hurdles was a bonus and hopefully he can keep that momentum he got going last season. He is an exciting horse to look forward to."

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