North Yorkshire jockey Paul Mulrennan, sidelined with a broken leg since last summer, returns at Southwell tomorrow.

Mulrennan’s accident happened at Musselburgh on the eve of Royal Ascot when, after winning on Sound Advice for Keith Dalgleish, his mount, a juvenile debutante, failed to negotiate the paddock turn and crashed through the rails.

It’s been a long road back. Mulrennan had hoped to be fit to return last September, but the screws inserted in his fractured limb began to rub on the muscle once gentle exercise was resumed and he was forced to wait until December before the screws were removed before he could ultimately begin to get himself back in shape.

Mulrennan, who is aiming to ride 100 winners this year, will lack nothing in fitness. He has been doing lots of gym work and has also been riding out every day for three weeks for trainers like Kevin Ryan, Mick Easterby and James Given.

Fittingly, it is Ryan who supplies him with his comeback ride on Bapak Pintar in the opening Ladbrokes Mobile Handicap. The three-year-old ran well for a long way on his reappearance at Kempton in early January.

Lightly raced, he is open to further improvement and he promises to run a big race against the in-form Samasana and the Mark Johnston-trained Chatterati.

Mulrennan’s other two booked mounts also have chances. In the Ladbrokes Mobile Claiming Stakes, he partners the consistent Given-trained First Bid, who takes a drop in class.

In the southwell-racecourse.co.uk Handicap, he teams up with Bryan Smart’s Code Six, a good third at Wolverhampton ten days ago on her first outing of the campaign.

One way or another, Mulrennan could have something to celebrate at the end of day one.

Colour Guard is awarded the nap vote in the closing Ladbrokes Apprentice Handicap.

A winner on his debut on this course, the Johnston-trained four-year-old still looked green when finishing fourth here last week in a pretty hot handicap.

He should be learning all the time and he looks the one to beat in this lesser event in the hands of Daryl Byrne, who is attached to the Johnston stable.

Admirable Duque (4.20) overcame trouble in running when winning at this venue last month, while Prince Of Vasa (4.50) is another horse with recent course-winning form. Both are worth shortlisting.

At Kempton’s evening meeting, Rigid looks a very tempting solution to the 32RedBet.com Handicap.

The Tony Carroll-trained five-year-old scooted home by six lengths here last week. That victory was gained in an apprentices’ event, which means Rigid escapes a penalty. George Downing again has the mount.

Two horses which recently finished second at Lingfield are worth noting. Sand Skier (8.10) would hardly need to improve on his latest effort to go one better, while Catherines Call (8.40) went down by only a nose on her comeback outing.

She is entitled to improve as a result.

Racing selections

Southwell

2.20 Bapak Pintar, 2.50 First Bid, 3.20 Code Six, 3.50 How Sweet It Is, 4.20 Admirable Duque, 4.50 Prince Of Vasa, 5.20 Colour Guard (NAP).

Kempton

5.40 Little Perisher, 6.10 Diamond Twister, 6.40 Perfect Fantasy, 7.10 Purple Affair, 7.40 Rigid, 8.10 Sand Skier, 8.40 Catherines Call.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Ludlow and Taunton.

Today’s meetings

Bangor, Folkestone, Kempton and Southwell.