Seeyouatmidnight tops the bill for first running of the veterans' chase

188Bet Mobile Veterans' Handicap Chase | 3m 110yds

Grand National hope Seeyouatmidnight returns from nearly a year off in the first running of this chase.

The ten-year-old has had treatment on a suspensory ligament and also undergone wind surgery since his last appearance when runner-up over hurdles at Kelso last March.

The topweight, a best-priced 33-1 shot for next month's Randox Health-backed showpiece, is no stranger to Carlisle and accounted for Bristol De Mai when landing a Listed chase at the Cumbrian track by 12 lengths in 2016.

A winner of seven of his 15 starts, Seeyouatmidnight is now back to fitness and must make his seasonal debut before April 9 to qualify to run in the National on April 12.

So trainer Sandy Thomson will hope the course, where the going on Saturday was soft, heavy in places, survives an 8am inspection.

Seeyouatmidnight takes on five rivals including his stablemate Seldom Inn, and Thomson said: “He's going really well. The issues he’s faced are well documented, but he’s looking good so we’re looking forward to seeing him back out there over the jumps.

“We’ve done as much as we can without racing him. We had hoped to race him sooner but bad weather and abandoned meetings in recent weeks put pay to that. But he’s in fine shape.

"We like Carlisle. The jumps course is a really good test, particularly for younger horses, and we’ve had a lot of success there over the years such as the Colin Parker back in 2016.”

On Seldom Inn, Thomson added: "It's unfortunate that we have two in the same race, but Seldom Inn deserves to take his chance. He's a bit high in the handicap, but is gradually coming down to a winnable mark."

Another Grand National entrant in the line-up is Houblon Des Obeaux, who finished tenth in the Aintree marathon behind One For Arthur a year ago but was pulled up in the Eider Chase at Newcastle last time.

Firth Of The Clyde, who is the senior runner in the line-up at 13, Scotswell and Blakemount make up the sextet.

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