NORTH Yorkshire trainer Malcolm Jefferson aims for National glory this afternoon.

SUN CLOUD, a proven stayer, heads to Sedgefield for the Sean Magee Sedgefinders Durham National, a £20,000 chase over three miles and five furlongs.

Brian Hughes takes the mount on the eight-year-old, who was a winner on this course last season and who also scored at Perth in April.

On his most recent start, back at Perth five weeks ago, Sun Cloud finished third and ran as though that outing may have been needed after a summer break.

He should be fitter this time – and will need to be if he is to prevail against rivals which include Royale Knight, trained by Dr Richard Newland and the winner of this race 12 months ago. A bold bid by Sun Cloud is on the cards.

Jefferson also has claims with the Hughes-ridden NAUTICAL TWILIGHT in the Meldrum Novices' Handicap Chase.

Although this mare's form tailed off quite badly last season, she had earlier won over hurdles on this course in December. She looks the type to do well now switched to fences.

Hughes has good prospects of yet another winner on the Sedgefield card courtesy of AMUSE ME in the opening J Amer & M Sweeney Handicap Hurdle.

Trainer Jimmy Moffatt has Amuse Me in tremendous heart. The nine-year-old has gained two wide-margin wins lately, scoring by 13 lengths here and by 10 at Carlisle.

Amuse Me has a 7lb penalty to carry this afternoon and faces his toughest task to date but is in such excellent heart he is not easily dismissed.

Finn O'Toole won on RUSSIAN ROYALE at Market Rasen earlier in the month and the capable conditional jockey gets the leg-up on the five-year-old for his boss Micky Hammond again in the Tees Led Lighting Mares' Handicap Hurdle.

Nap selection Russian Royale had more than four lengths to spare on her latest outing and may have more to come. O'Toole's 10lb claim will come in very handy once more as he seeks his fifth win of the season.

Norton trainer Sara Ender was on the mark at Worcester last month with GREY MONK but that victory in selling company had a sting in the tail.

The comfortable winner proved most attractive to would-be buyers at the subsequent auction and Ender, who trains the gelding for her father Neville, had to go to a lofty 14,500gns to retain him.

Grey Monk reappears in the Roflow Engineering Celebrating 25 Yers of Ventilation Handicap Hurdle and will aim to prove to his connections that it was a wise decision to pay so much to keep him. Nathan Moscrop again has the mount.

On the Flat at Lingfield, Paul Hanagan teams up with MAJESTIC MYLES, trained by his former boss Richard Fahey, in the £19,000 Ladbrokes Handicap.

Majestic Myles, a high-class horse in his younger days and twice a winner in Listed company, returned this year after a lengthy absence and won a competitive handicap at Ayr on his latest start. It would be no surprise to see him go well.

Hanagan and Fahey also team up with Dusky Queen in the 32Red / ebfstallions.com Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes. Useful though she is, the five-year-old is unproven on an artificial surface and she is passed over in favour of ARETHUSA, who is one from two on all-weather courses and a good third to Pelerin at Ascot last month.

In the £40,000 32Red.com /EBF Stallions River Eden Fillies' Stakes, a note should be made of CALIFORNIA, trained by John Gosden.

Nicky Mackay's mount won at Wetherby and Doncaster on her first two starts and was far from disgraced when beaten by little more than two lengths in Listed company, similar to this race, at Chantilly four weeks ago.

Also worthy of a second look at Lingfield are INTERMITTENT (12.50), a promising runner-up at Leicester on her debut, and IMPRESSIVE DAY (1.20) – a beaten favourite on her debut Kempton, who is out to recover losses under Oisean Murphy.