Horse racing: Evergreen Hello Bud back on the road at 14

HELLO Bud makes his first start since the John Smith’s Grand National in what could be deemed more appropriate company at Cartmel today.

A great favourite of trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and his jockey and son, Sam, Hello Bud – a former Scottish Grand National hero – has reached the venerable age of 14 and is the oldest in the field for the Stone Source Grand Veterans’ Handicap Chase. Although without a win since the 2010 Becher Chase, he was anything but disgraced in the National, finishing seventh to Neptune Collonges.

“The race is ideal for him, a staying chase for veterans and on one of my favourite courses,” said Twiston-Davies snr, aka NTD. “It should be right up his street and he goes there in really good nick. I am very optimistic.”

The three-and-three-quarter-mile event is the feature on the final day of the Jubilee meeting at the tight but picturesque Lake District circuit. Hello Bud must concede weight to all his rivals and Huckleberry, a relative youngster at ten, is receiving almost 2st. Tony Carroll’s charge is on a five-timer and the trainer said: “He is in really good form and I would be extremely hopeful of him going very close again.”