Better Times Ahead is back at his beloved Cartmel tomorrow - and aiming for a poignant victory that could mark the end of a remarkable career.
The 14-year-old roan was the last winner for the late Gordon Richards and the first winner for Richards's son Nicky when he took over at the Greystoke yard.
Better Times Ahead, the winner of 21 of his 62 jumps races, was also the horse that led the cortege at the funeral of Gordon Richards in 1998.
'He's been a fantastic horse to have around,' said Nicky Richards. 'But I don't know whether he will be retiring after tomorrow's race.
'The old horse will tell us when he's had enough and we would never let him just become a back number.
'It will be up to the owner in the end but the horse was to land the race tomorrow then it might be nice to retire him on a winning note.'
Better Times Ahead faces some tough opposition in the Burlington Slate Cartmel Grand Veterans National Handicap Chase.
But he is always a horse to be reckoned with at the Lakeland circuit where he has won five times.
'It's a competitive race but I can't ever remember him being beaten at Cartmel and I'm sure he'll make them all go. He's absolutely flying at the moment,' said the trainer.
