Tommy Whittle chance for Surrey Quest this weekend

Surrey Quest could bid to get back on the winning trail in the Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

The Toby Lawes-trained seven-year-old was beaten a nose by Macdermott in a thrilling finish to last season’s Scottish Grand National and again occupied the runner-up spot on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham last month.

Connections warned Surrey Quest would need the run on his Prestbury Park comeback, so there was huge encouragement to be taken from his performance in again finishing second to the ill-fated Abuffalasoldier after charging home from the rear.

Lawes is hoping his star chaser can step forward if given the green light to make the trip to Merseyside this weekend.

“He worked well yesterday and has come out of it well. We’re just waiting to see if the rain comes and how the ground is shaping up, but we’re certainly going to have a good look at Saturday,” he said.

“I’d quite like to try him on genuine soft ground and see how we go. I think he should handle it, it looks a nice race and I’d be quite keen to test him round Haydock as well.

“He took a couple of blows with Kevin (Brogan) at Cheltenham so he was just trying to have one big run at the end and we were absolutely delighted. He’s got a tremendous attitude, not many horses have the attitude to be able to do that from being sort of solo turning in at Cheltenham.

“He looks to have improved. He’s taking more work this year than he did last year. He did so well over the summer and got stronger and stronger, so I was aware coming into the season he was going to take a bit more work and he looks to have taken a step forward from his run.”

Having gone so close in the Scottish National last term, a tilt at Grand National glory at Aintree could be on the cards in the spring, but Lawes is not looking too far ahead at this stage.

He added: “He’s probably almost going to have to win twice to get in at Aintree and I’ve always said to the lads if we get there organically we’ll go, but let’s not force it.

“There’s so many great races for horses like him. The National is there if we happen to get there, but you’ve got races like the Midlands National and obviously the Scottish again in the spring, so there’s lots to look forward to.”