Racecards
16:35 Carlisle
Currock Novices' Hurdle (Class E) (Class E)
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 5-P011P
- Age 7
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer L Lungo
- Jockey G Berridge
held up in touch, mistake and unseated rider 7th
Monolith
140- Form 05-1130
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer L Lungo
- Jockey L Berridge
mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden to chase winner 3 out, one pace under pressure
Bexley (IRE)
19- Form 0406
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 2-5PP44
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer T H Caldwell
- Jockey A Dempsey
mid-division, outpaced 7th
- Form 5420
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer M D Hammond
- Jockey K Renwick
mid-division, headway 7th and in touch, effort when hampered after 4 out, one pace next
Manbow (IRE)
77- Form 0-0P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer M D Hammond
- Jockey B P Harding
tracked leaders, weakened approaching 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Natiain
21- Form P
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer W Coltherd
- Jockey P Robson
led, headed approaching 7th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Rothko (IRE)
13- Form 5S-230P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
in touch, reminder 5th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 6th
- Form 50P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer J Charlton
- Jockey B Gibson
towards rear, reminder 4th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 6th
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer W Amos
- Jockey P Buchanan
held up towards rear, swerved right and unseated rider after 5th
Minster Blue
25- Form P4P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
mid-division, outpaced 7th, rallied briefly approaching 3 out, no impression from next
- Form 0-0400
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer T H Caldwell
- Jockey Jim Crowley
towards rear, never dangerous
River Alder
21- Form 21
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Miss S Forster
- Jockey M Bradburne
tracked leaders, led approaching 7th, clear when mistake last, kept on
- Form 2-05R3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer D Eddy
- Jockey J M Maguire
in touch, headway to join leaders 7th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon one pace
Solway Quest
11- Form 0P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Ms Liz Harrison
- Jockey A Ross
soon behind, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
In depth
Verdict
Provided he is well in himself after his latest run the choice has to be Ashleybank House, who is a horse of some potential. River Alder and Monolith look to be best of the rest. Ashleybank House came to the fore with a soft ground hurdle win over two miles at Ayr in December, before following up over 3m 1f back at the same track on heavy ground in January. Clearly a thorough stayer, this trip is well within his compass, and with some cut to help he can return to form after an under par effort at Kelso. River Alder has his first taste of racing under rules, but has gone well in a couple of recent point-to-points, including a win last time and a good showing under Mark Bradburne would be no surprise, while Monolith hails from the same stable as Ashleybank House and trainer Len Lungo will clearly have the best idea as to their chances. Monolith returns to two-and-a-half miles and novices' company after being tried in handicaps and an improvement on his two latest starts will be no surprise. But for the selection we will take the chance that Ashleybank House is back to his best and he is taken to score.