ONE FOR ARTHUR

last year’s Grand National winner, has had his exercise regime stepped up ahead of a planned November or December return. The Lucinda Russell trained gelding cantered on Saturday for the first time since sustaining a tendon injury in his right foreleg last October. Russell said: ‘He is in good shape. His recuperation has been advanced with a month walking on our water treadmill. ‘He’ll need a month of stamina work and a month of faster work before he is ready to run.’ Options for the nine-year-old include Haydock’s Betfair Chase on November 24, the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury a week later and the Becher Chase at Aintree on December 8.