Six races, running from 14:45 to 17:20, take place at Carlisle on Thursday afternoon – and I’ve a couple of tips for the action, featuring a seven-year-old who’s dropped to an attractive handicap mark.
15:15 – Alaskan Gold @ 6/4
It takes some believing based on her mediocre debut at Beverley a couple of weeks ago, but Bryan Smart’s Go Big Or Go Home is a half-sister to legendary sprinter Battaash and cost connections a whopping 1,800,000gns. For that reason alone, she’s likely to be somewhat popular for this novice contest over 6f.
However, in Alaskan Gold she meets a more experienced colt with some very strong form in the book.
Karl Burke’s son of Kodiac made a pleasing introduction at Nottingham back in July, finishing just under 5L behind subsequent Group 1 winner Vandeek which speaks for itself – while the two horses ahead of him at Glorious Goodwood on his most recent outing, specifically Mansa Musa and Array, have both franked that piece of form.
I think he’ll be hard to beat. I wouldn’t completely write off the aforementioned Go Big Or Go Home who did show some promise on her debut, or Welcome Dream for Kevin Ryan, but ultimately I expect the selection to win this comfortably.
17:20 – Highwaygrey @ 4/1
The finale at Carlisle on Thursday is a very interesting 0-70 handicap over 1m1f which has attracted 10 runners.
One of those is Tim Easterby’s Highwaygrey, now seven years young, who has dropped to his lowest rating (72) in over three years after the gelding was lowered 2lbs for finishing 6/13, beaten 4½, at Doncaster just under two weeks ago.
However, that margin doesn’t tell the true story. After breaking slowly, he was fighting a losing battle from the off but travelled with plenty of zest and made good progress late on, which leads me to think that’s a generous piece of handicapping.
Conditions suit and he can land his first win in over a year under jockey Sean Kirrane, who must be brimming with confidence following his success in the Nunthorpe aboard Live In The Dream at York last week.
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