A new season of National Hunt action begins at Carlisle on Thursday afternoon with an eight-race card that includes a Class 3 Handicap Chase over an extended three-miles as the feature event.

Don’t be surprised to see a star of the future on show, with names such as Al Dancer and Bannixtown Glory winning at this meeting in recent years.

They race from 13:20-17:20 at the Cumbrian venue and we’ve picked out three to follow.

13:50 – Snake Roll @ 13/8

It’s been a blistering few weeks for Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell, with seven winners from 30 runners in the last fortnight seeing her operate at 23 percent strike-rate.

She can harbour leading claims for this Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase on the Carlisle card with last season’s impressive novice hurdler SNAKE ROLL.

He won at Kelso (2m, good to soft) on his Rules bow in October and was third next time behind subsequent Grade 1-winnning novice Tahmuras at Haydock.

He was an easy winner at Newcastle on Boxing Day and his only real no-show of the campaign was at Warwick in January on very testing ground in a Grade 2.

Snake Roll was third in the same grade at Kelso (2m2f, good to soft) in March and signed off with a slender defeat over 2m4f at Perth in April in a head-bobber.

He’s got experience from point-to-points and can make an immediate impact going chasing for a yard in flying form.

14:25 – Making Headway @ 3/1

Cabhfuilfungi didn’t have to improve to win a Southwell maiden hurdle in May and is conceding weight all round now, while Easter Junction must bounce back from unseating Brian Hughes on hurdling bow at Bangor recently.

That pair are the standard-setters, but MAKING HEADWAY could be a threat to both on his Rules bow for Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero.

He won a point-to-point in Ireland 11 months ago and the £50,000 purchase has seen that contest throw up a number of subsequent winners.

He is well-related and should be ready to make an impact on his first visit to the racecourse proper. He gets 7lb from Cabhfuilfungi and, if his jumping/fitness hold up, he can prove too good for the forecast big pair in the market for this Novices’ Hurdle.

15:35 – Court Dreaming @ 9/1

Wasdell Dundalk has notched a hat-trick of wins at Perth over this sort of trip recently and while a 6lb rise isn’t certain to stop him, the form of his last two wins is nothing to write home about and he may find more resistance now.

Your Own Story is a contender on comeback for in-form Lucinda Russell, while Guetapan Collonges is a class-dropper and could go well for Charlie Longsdon, but COURT DREAMING won this race 12 months ago after a break and Nicky Richards’ charge is back to defend off the same mark of 109.

He was out of sorts when last spotted over timber in June, but has always been a better performer over fences and he has an excellent track record at this venue, where he is a three-time winner.

He should be primed for this comeback in what is a Betfred Extra Place Race (four places).