Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
Masterpiece needed with Titian
Billy Loughnane is one of the most in-vogue names in the sport at the moment, a role he appears to be handling with adroitness, but it's his younger brother Jack who will be hoping to break his own personal milestone when he bids for a first winner in the Paul Kavanagh Memorial AJA Novice Flat Amateur Jockeys' Handicap (14:00) at Carlisle.
Kavanagh - who died in a car crash in December - rode his first winner at the Cumbrian venue for David Loughnane. The latter is no relation to Billy and Jack's father Mark, but did spend time with him when starting his training journey.
Jack had his first mount in February aboard Starfighter, who was also Billy's first, but 18 subsequent rides have yielded a second, two thirds and three fourths.
He rides the Julie Camacho-trained Titian on Friday, a very well-handicapped individual but one who looked a little tricky in first-time cheekpieces last time at Beverley. His wins have come on flatter tracks, but he has won for an amateur before so is no forlorn hope.
This could be a busy spell for Jack, as he is booked to ride Calaxy at Thirsk on Friday for his dad. Formerly with Tom Dascombe, the Laurence Bellman-owned filly is one to watch close in the betting given how well-treated she is.
And it could all bubble up nicely to a ride on Epictetus in the Betfred "Nifty 50" Amateurs' Derby Handicap (For Gentleman Amateur Jockeys) on Monday. The one-time Thoroughbred Stakes winner gave amateur Megan Jordan another winner earlier this month and a return to Epsom could see him thrive once more.
All eyes on Burke at Carlisle
The 10-length win of Wild Blossom at Carlisle in May may have been spectacular, but it probably shouldn't have been totally unexpected as Karl Burke (29% strike-rate with his two-year-olds here) tends to run a lot of his best juveniles at the course, especially his fillies. A year earlier, Venetian Sun had won the same novice contest.
Thursday's Celebrating National Racehorse Week 2026 EBF Novice Stakes (14:30) features two Burke newcomers, with the betting likely to help ascertain which of Five Years, the fourth foal of the Sweet Solera winner Muraaqaba, or Mehmas Star, a first foal of Ger Lyons' Gladness Stakes runner-up Sh Boom, is most forward.
This look an interesting event, though.
Sarasota Blue Blue, a Lord Lloyd-Webber-owned Blue Point filly who is in the care of Sir Mark Prescott, is much more speedily bred than most in the yard (also has entries over five furlongs this week) and is only the third two-year-old the trainer has run here. Meanwhile, Blazing Inferno – who, like Mehmas Star has a sales race amongst his entries - and the Kevin Ryan-trained Benbecula are others very much of note.
Ratings point to improving Johnston runner
The Colin Parker Raceday 1st Nov Nursery Handicap (15:00) features only five runners but a case can be made for all, with just 3 lb separating the quintet on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
However, top-rated Kanzi's rating has a 'small p' attached to it, denoting that improvement is expected, and it's easy to see why given this strapping filly wasn't hard pressed to defy a wide draw at Lingfield earlier this month.
Her BHA mark of 79 looks within reach given the more experienced filly who beat her at Ayr has since won off 78, and the pace prediction of 'weak' suggests that she might not have to work too hard to grab the early lead. From there, the likes of Bincimbal and Ten Clarets may struggle to reel her back.
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