'It's a good starting point' - leading Irish novice Mahler Mission returns in Listed chase

Mahler Mission: finished second at Navan

Mahler Mission: makes his reappearance at Carlisle on SundayCredit: Patrick McCann

Mahler Mission bids to bounce back against a select group of rivals on his seasonal reappearance in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase (2.30) at Carlisle on Sunday.

The seven-year-old 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 track in February.

He then lined up in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival the following month and had stretched fourth lengths clear before coming down at the second-last under Johnny Barry.

Mahler Mission, who could be aimed at the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, is taking a marked drop in trip to two and a half miles in a race won by the likes of Lostintranslation and Many Clouds.

His trainer John McConnell said: “The track should play to his strengths, and it's a good starting point for the season. I don’t think he's that slow either, even though he stays. They're lovely fences at Carlisle so it's the perfect starting point for him."

Olly Murphy: "I’ve trained him for the race"

Olly Murphy: trainer of Thunder RockCredit: Edward Whitaker

With Monbeg Genius and Beauport engaged at Ascot on Saturday, Mahler Mission faces just three rivals and the market suggests the main danger is Thunder Rock, who also makes his first start of the season.

The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old ran in four Graded novice chases last season, including when finishing sixth in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival and chasing home Datsalrightgino in an Ayr Grade 2 last time.

"It looks like an ideal race, with a couple of them running at Ascot on Saturday," said Murphy. "At the weights, Mahler Mission will be hard to beat but I wouldn't swap Thunder Rock.

"Sunday will tell us whether he's going to be a Graded chaser or a good two-and-a-half-mile hurdler. He's schooled well but he still has the option of going back over hurdles."

The field is completed by Bill Baxter, winner of the Topham Chase last season for Warren Greatrex, and the Sandy Thomson-trained Bass Rock.

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