IT'S Catterick's final meeting of the Flat turf season tomorrow, but first things first, and a sure sign that the jumping campaign is fast dominating centre-stage comes in the shape of Britain's best-loved steeplechaser making his seasonal reappearance at Exeter.

Best Mate, the triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, returns to the fray in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup - with a new jockey on board.

Following the retirement during the summer of Jim Culloty, Best Mate's regular rider, Paul Carberry has been recruited from Ireland to team-up with the gelding in his comeback outing.

Restricted to just two outings last season before he burst a blood vessel in training, which caused him to miss another shot at the Gold Cup, Best Mate is an unlikely winner of tomorrow's handicap event.

Not only will he be returning after a lengthy absence, but the distance of just under two-and-a-quarter miles is well short of his best. Add to that, rain-softened ground at Exeter, which is hardly to his advantage, and it is difficult to see Best Mate returning in a blaze of glory. It will, though, be great to see him back in action, limbering-up in advance of crossing swords with last season's Gold Cup winner Kicking King, a duel which is set to take place in the Betfair Chase at Haydock next month.

As for the most likely outcome tomorrow, Ashley Brook and Contraband will be well suited by the distance and the former, a much-improved performer last season, is fancied to just have the edge, though Kauto Star, highly-regarded in the Paul Nicholls camp, also comes firmly into the equation. Definitely a race not to be missed, for so many different reasons.

Back at Catterick, make a note of nap selection Spring Pursuit in the National Hunt Season Starts On 30th November Handicap over one and three-quarter miles.

The evergreen nine-year-old will be in his element on the soft ground and confirmed his liking for the mud at Ayr three weeks ago when gaining a wide-margin win.

He has since run well over hurdles and will be hard to beat here.

Phillip Makin, who has the mount on Spring Pursuit, could also score on Zhitomir in the £10,000 Weatherbys Bank Handicap.

Trained by Michael Dods, Zhitomir is another confirmed mudlark and was also a scorer over this course and distance earlier in the season. A good second here on his latest start, he is in good heart.

Tony Culhane, who rode a double at Wolverhampton on Saturday night, is now only five winners short of his 1,000 career success and the Thirsk-based jockey can add to his tally aboard Smart Cassie in the Buy Your 2006 Annual Membership Today Nursery.

Ann Duffield's juvenile comes into this race in decent form, will like the ground, and is also a previous winner on this track.

The John Quinn-trained Harrys House, also a previous winner here, scored at Ayr two outings ago. He should go well on his favourite ground in the Go Racing At Doncaster Claiming Stakes.

Tuesday's tips:

Catterick

1-00 Signal Hill, 1-30 King's Revenge, 2-00 Smart Cassie, 2-30 Trew Style, 3-00 Zhitomir, 3-30 Harrys House, 4-00 Spring Pursuit (NAP).

Exeter

1-40 Private Be, 2-10 Nippy Des Mottes, 2-40 Ashley Brook, 3-10 Nyrche,

3-40 Noble Baron, 4-10 Rosetown

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Worcester.

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing is: Monda (5.00 Wolverhampton).

Updated: 11:51 Monday, October 31, 2005