Carruthers will not take his chance in a veterans’ handicap chase at Newbury on Saturday and will instead be aimed at the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on March 14.

Sara Bradstock, assistant to her husband, Mark, at their Letcombe Bassett stables, near Wantage, believes the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup hero is on a “wonderful” handicap mark.

She said: “He won’t be running at Newbury this weekend because of his delicate feet, but watch this space.

“We’ve entered him in the Midlands National instead, and that’s very much the plan.

“I’m excited by the prospect of running him there off 133.

“He’s on a wonderful handicap mark.

“We thought about the Cross Country at Cheltenham, given he ran so well there before Christmas, but we’re going to bypass that on the basis that the ground is likely to be too quick for him.”

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