Well, now that the drama of the flat finale has died down we can concentrate on what should be an exciting jumps campaign. We have Cheltenham to look forward to at the weekend with the Paddy Power Chase on Saturday but in the meantime Carlisle stage a fair card for a Monday.
The beginner’s chase at 12.50 features several promising types. Benetwood has AP McCoy on board and he will wear the distinctive colours of J P McManus. Benetwood has been remarkably consistent in his career so far and is yet to finish out of the first 2. He will appreciate the good ground and looks a major player. Another making his chase debut is Cedrus Libani, trained by Howard Johnson. He was staying on in the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham and had earlier won at Hexham and Newcastle. Modicum has already had one run over fences when jumping well to finish second at Hexham. He is another that will like the ground. Shouldhavehadthat moved from Nicky Henderson’s yard in the summer and is now with Ferdy Murphy. He has always looked a chaser in the making and his first run when unplaced at Kelso can probably be disregarded as Ferdy Murphy’s horses tend to come on for the run. A good race this and a hard one to call. With the ground in his favour I am going to side with Benetwood.
Professor Higgins was an expensive purchase by Graham and Andrea Wylie after finishing second in a Limerick bumper. He had earlier won his only point to point and may well make a winning hurdles debut in the 1.20, a race that Howard Johnson won last season.
In the 1.55 According to John makes his reappearance. He was 3rd to Denman at Cheltenham last season and looks capable of landing a good prize this term. Idle Talk has failed to complete in any of his last 4 starts but this represents a drop in class for him and the small field may aid his jumping. Caribou is a horse I like but his best form has been on soft ground. According to John should win this on the way to better things.
That is about all for tonight
ahorse 