DON'T be put off by Native Mission's long absence from the track. The nine-year-old may not have run for more than 600 days but he has a fine chance to make a winning return to action in the St Modwen Chase at Uttoxeter today.

His trainer Jimmy FitzGerald is a dab hand at getting horses ready after a lay-off, witness Trainglot's highly successful return to action last season.

The booking of Richard Dunwoody suggests Native Mission will be more than straight enough to give of his best at the first time of asking. And the gelding's form gives him a fine chance to see off three rivals in today's limited handicap.

Native Mission won his first three chases in the style of a smart performer in the making in 1993/'94 and confirmed that promise the following season, winning at Haydock and running an excellent fourth to Coulton at Aintree.

He concedes just 4lb to the no more than fairly useful pair Mister Oddy and Super Tactics while the ex-New Zealand gelding Random Assault needs more time to acclimatise judged on his recent British debut at Worcester.

All eyes will be on Daunt at Hereford. A large reputation will precede the four-year-old to the track as he makes his jumping debut in division two of the Thyme Maiden Hurdle.

An enthusiastic Henrietta Knight greeted a mud-splattered Jamie Osborne after he had steered Red Blazer to an impressive success in the Santa Claus Novices' Hurdle at Towcester yesterday.

The winning trainer's immediate post-race comment was: "We have absolutely no intention of aiming low with this horse. We're going to aim high, as he has real class."

Miss Knight, who describes Red Blazer as the friendliest horse you can imagine" explained that the gelding had broken down badly at Liverpool in his only race last season and will never be risked on fast ground again.