Old friends assemble for the big Saturday race that doesn't lead to Cheltenham

You've got to love a race that doesn't lead anywhere else but is instead an end in itself. They're rare enough in top-level jump racing these days, with all roads leading to Cheltenham, but the Unibet Veterans' Chase Series Final is a destination, not a staging post.

I suppose it's possible the winning trainer will still be asked: "Where next?" but any reporter posing that question will be guilty of missing the point. This is the big day for these old boys (and one old girl) and there are no other pots of £50,000 lying around for them in the rest of the season unless they're prepared to take on much younger types.

They're slow enough for a Grand National but only three or four are rated highly enough to get into that race. They could come back for the bet365 Gold Cup but the ground will be a bit lively by then, putting an emphasis on speed they no longer have.