Seeyouatmidnight

Seeyouatmidnight ran a nice race to finish second behind Big River in the three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap hurdle at Kelso last Saturday, and that run should have brought him forward nicely with a tilt at the Scottish National in mind.

Sandy Thomson's horse travelled well through his race, and it looked like he was a real danger to Big River at the fourth last flight. However, lack of a recent run probably took its toll from there, and he was out-paced by the winner before keeping on from the second last flight to take second place, 10 lengths behind the winner and just a half a length in front of Eminent Poet.

There was a lot to like about this performance from the Midnight Legend gelding. He was strong in the market, but it was his first run over hurdles since he finished seventh in the 2015 Stayers' Hurdle, and it was his first run under any code since he was pulled up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last November. And he ran really well, especially given that it is probable that the Scottish Grand National - a race in which he finished third last year - is his ultimate spring target.

He is rated 154 this year, as against 149 last year, but he was only beaten three lengths by the winner Vicente last year, when he was a little keen through the early stages of the race, but was still in front at the final fence. Rated 155 at his peak over hurdles, he ran in the RSA Chase last year, but this year he has skipped the Cheltenham Festival, presumably with a view to having him at his peak at Ayr.

He is nine, but he has raced just eight times over fences, he still has potential to progress as a staying chaser. He goes well on soft ground, but he is also fine on good to soft - as it was at Ayr last year - and he won a point-to-point on good. He should be a player in the Scottish National again this year.

25^th March 2017

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