Carlisle's late October Meeting looked a decent card

CARLISLE – Thursday October 20th

Going – Good to Soft

This was a cracking Carlisle card, plenty of strength in depth over a range races and there should be a fair few winners to emerge for the future.

The first of the 2m 3½f novices’ hurdle heats looked to be the stronger. OSCAR DAVY looked the likely winner until diving at the last and coming down. He looks a sure winner of a similar contest and family record suggests this is around his right distance. SIVOLA DE SIVOLA may find life a bit tougher with a double penalty, though he stayed on admirable once given his winning chance. BOUND FOR GLORY ran a sound race and will win races for the McCain stable, while MAJORCA KING was finishing best of all back in third and looks to be crying out for three miles.

CAPE DUTCH won the second division of the novice with a fair bit to spare. Hurdling newcomers WESTON LODGE and DOUBLE ROSS performed soundly on debuts. While this didn’t look as competitive as the first heat, the time was pretty much the same.

DO IT FOR DALKEY has clearly benefitted from a wind operation and strolled home in the Class 5 2m 4f handicap chase. He’ll go up a fair way but he jumped really well and had so much in hand that there seems no reason why he shouldn’t win moved up in grade. MALKO DE BEAUMONT has had a miserable couple years, but he stayed on well for third and is worth noting for the future. He’s 30lbs below his last winning mark, has a fine record around Carlisle (also 2 out 3 at Haydock) and clearly retains enough ability.

Multiple point winner HORSHAM LAD won a decent looking 3m Class 3 handicap chase. He looked well readied for this but might pick up another race while on a high. VAMIZI put up a decent effort in third, and the in-form Lucinda Russell should find a race for this one before long. One amongst a whole raft of newcomers at Arlary, this one looks as if he needs a thorough test of stamina. The stable might just consider the Borders National at Kelso in early December.

During the 2m 1f Intermediate Handicap Hurdle I noted that commentator Darren Owen referred to the ‘false straight’ on the new hurdle course. Longchamp transported to Cumbria? ATTAGLANCE strolled this and looks sharply progressive. CIRCUS CLOWN was outpaced form the fourth flight but picked up again in the latter stages to finish best of anything. THE STARBOARD BOW plugged on for fourth and probably need a middle distance on evidence of two runs this season.

The Beginners’ Chase might well turn out to be a distinctly decent contest. FRASCATI PARK was well readied for this one and held the upper hand from two out.
BOLD SIR BRIAN took a fair time to warm to his task. His jumping was a little untidy early on, but having almost been brought down at the fifth, he picked up well to the bottom bend. He would probably have been held by the winner, but thumping two out meant his winning chance had gone anyway. Keeping on well after the winner, he still looks work in progress, but has any amount of potential as a chaser.
AIKMAN jumped well enough, was outpaced from four out and then stuck on well up the hill. He needs further than this, but he’s got chaser written all over him and will win over fences. GOING WRONG filled fourth, fading two out, but he’s another that’s likely to win chases particularly over a distance of ground.
Willie Amos’s WILLIE HALL found this a bit tough on chase debut, and can sharpen his fencing. However, he looks the type to do well enough in chases once he finds his level.

Keith Reveley’s CROWNING JEWEL won the bumper in decent style, going clear from two out.
The second and third are both more stoutly bred than the winner. Jedburgh trainer Robert Bewley has a decent prospect on his hands in the runner-up BURY PARADE, and he should improve once going over a longer distance in hurdles. OSCAR ROMEO finished with a rattle to take third on his racecourse debut and is another who will benefit from a longer trip in time. I suspect he can probably pick up a run of the mill bumper in them meantime.