16:15 Carlisle

Saturday 30 March 2024

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Opera Bingo Lucky Dabber Challenge Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 6m 41.30s

Clovis Island¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 115

9/4

Runner-up on only start in Irish points before winning a Hexham bumper on Rules debut last March. Made to work harder than had seemed likely when landing the odds in a maiden hurdle back at Hexham (2½m, heavy) recently but may have more to offer now upped in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 21-421

Schalke¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 112| D

25/1

Winner at Kelso in December 2022 but it's been a struggle so far this season and there's no real reason to anticipate a revival here.

Form: 898888

Tfou³⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Callum Bewley| T: N G Richards| OR: 107

9/1

Made the frame both starts in this sphere a couple of seasons back and scored on chase debut/return at Ayr last term. Creditable efforts in defeat both subsequent starts and he's one to be interested in back hurdling, despite an 11-month absence and the fact that Sean Quinlan prefers Clovis Island.

Form: 243/124-

Guernesey²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs J Stephen| OR: 106

12/1

Good first outing for this yard when runner-up at Kelso in November buthasn't managed to build on that in 4 subsequent starts. Others preferred.

Form: 7-25445

Enemy At The Gate^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D W Whillans| OR: 101

3/1

Remains a maiden following 11 starts in this sphere but hasn't done a great deal wrong in 5 starts so far this season. Latest third in a handicap for amateur/conditional riders here (19.3f, soft) last time augurs well with regard to this step back up in trip and he's one to consider.

Form: 3-42253

Artic Mann²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N W Alexander| OR: 100| BF

9/2

Has made the frame all 5 runs since returning from a lengthy absence in October. Best work at the finish when second in a 15-runner Ayr handicap (24.3f, good) 3 weeks ago and should be in the mix once again.

Form: 6/23342

Shantou Moon^p¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Harry Reed| T: T Davidson| OR: 97| D

7/1

Back to winning ways at Catterick in January and only narrowly failed to follow up in 7-runner handicap there a month later. Not seen to best effect the last twice but there's little margin for error off this mark and he will probably find one or two too good.

Form: 581235

Gypsey's Secret³³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 84

12/1

Still a maiden but comes here in excellent heart, most recently finishing second at Ayr (24.3f, heavy) where she conceded first run to the winner. Certainly not without a chance here, for all that she's 5 lb 'wrong' at the weights.

Form: 76-P632

Forecasts

Clovis Island (9/4), Enemy At The Gate (3/1), Artic Mann (9/2), Shantou Moon (7/1), Tfou (9/1), Gypsey's Secret (12/1), Guernesey (12/1), Schalke (25/1)

The vote goes to ENEMY AT THE GATE, who is of strong interest on just his second run over a trip in excess of 3m and he shaped for all the world as though going back up in distance would be very much in his favour when third over 19.3f here last time. Gypsey's Secret posted her best effort yet at Ayr and is feared most, while the consistent Artic Mann and the Nicky Richards-trained duo, Clovis Island and Tfou, also come into the reckoning.