14:15 Carlisle

Thursday 26 October 2017

All14:1514:5015:2015:5516:2516:55

Watch Racing UK On The Go Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 5m 5.64s

Dark Sunset⁷¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr

3/1

Made a good start over hurdles in the summer, winning a Uttoxeter maiden (2m4f, good to soft) and then completed alone at Bangor over a similar trip (good). Penalised for that, but no reason why she can't have a big say again if handling the ground.

Form: 442-11

Alphie

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

12/1

Bought for £4,000 in June. Half-brother to a point-to-point winner, out of a dual point-to-point winning half-sister to 2m3f-3m3f chase winner My Flora and 3m1f chase winner Molly Oscar. In good hands and market check suggested ahead of this debut.

Form:

Arctic Vodka¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: A Nicol| T: Mrs S A Watt

40/1

Thus far has shown little in three bumpers and a couple of novices' hurdles. Beaten 35L at Kelso (2m5f, good) after his return from a break earlier in the month and not easy to take his chance seriously until he has a handicap mark.

Form: 4898-8

Captain Black

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd

50/1

Sixth foal of 2m-2m4f hurdle/chase winner, including three times here. Dam won on soft, though majority of wins had good in description and her other progeny have not amounted to much. Different sire, although watching brief suggested first time.

Form:

Charin' Cross¹⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Finian O'Toole⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond

200/1

Well beaten at three-figure prices on both hurdles starts so far. On the positive side, his better of two bumper runs was here over 2m1f (heavy) in March. Would still need to be much better to win this and probably of more interest in handicaps.

Form: 938-8

Donna's Delight¹⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: A M Thomson

8/11

Just his fifth start today in almost two years and his hurdling debut. Began last season well when a close second in an Ayr bumper, before winning one there next time on soft. Should be well prepped and one of the more likely players here.

Form: 6/219-

Manitowoc County²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison

6/1

Irish point-to-point winner at the third attempt and although bought by connections for £30,000 last November, he wasn't seen until a Sedgefield bumper earlier in the month. Ran well for a long way there and extra 2f in his favour here. Interesting.

Form: 241-4

Secret Passenger¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: C R King| T: B Ellison

22/1

Well beaten on both his sole bumper run last December and his recent hurdling debut at Hexham. Looks clear second string for stable on jockey bookings and this is probably another educational outing prior to going handicapping.

Form: 7-6

Rose Tree^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett

33/1

Made the frame in two bumpers for Pam Sly before doing the same on her first start for this yard. All those were on much better ground and it is a concern that her hurdles form has so far not come close to that, including one on heavy. Best watched.

Form: 2-3369

Forecasts

Donna's Delight (8/11), Dark Sunset (3/1), Manitowoc County (6/1), Alphie (12/1), Secret Passenger (22/1), Rose Tree (33/1), Arctic Vodka (40/1), Captain Black (50/1), Charin' Cross (200/1)

Dark Sunset looks an obvious choice given that she has won races, though with a penalty and on this deep ground she may be vulnerable, so the suggestion is DONNA'S DELIGHT. Sandy Thomson has brought the gelding along patiently so far and has already been rewarded with a bumper win. With the step up in trip a positive and his ability to handle cut proven, he gets the vote. Manitowoc County could emerge as a contender. He ran well for a long way over a shorter trip in a recent Sedgefield bumper and this should be more his bag. Of the remainer, Alphie has one of the better jumping pedigrees and comes from a stable that can have first-time winners, so a market check would be prudent.