[I]n-form Dapper Man will be looking to show rivals a clean pair of heels at Carlisle as he goes for another victory.
Roger Fell’s gelding goes into Thursday’s meeting with an impressive four victories in his last five outings. Ben Sanderson was in charge for three of those wins and will again be in the saddle as the four-year-old aims to make it a sixth win for the season.
Intriguingly he‘ll be lining up in the Smarkets.com 5f Handicap against the only horse to better him in those last five races. It was War Whisper that came out in front by half a length at Pontefract in June.
That was Paul Midgley’s five-year-old’s only victory so far this year. He’ll again have Joe Fanning in the saddle.
Rebecca Bastiman’s Royal Brave is another entry with a track record of wins with nine to date. The seven-year-old’s sole 2018 success coming at Musselburgh in May.
The winner will take away a £7,000 first prize and the same purse is at stake in the day’s second class 4 race the 6f EBF Fillies Handicap.
Hugo Palmer will be looking for Power to Exceed to repeat her Carlisle success from June when winning over similar distance. Ben Curtis was on board that day and takes the ride again. Palmer has two wins from just three entries at the Durdar track this season.
Competition is likely from Karl Burke’s Dizzy G who has won her last two trips at Newbury and Windsor. Tony Coyle’s Maureb has four career turf wins and Rotherhithe has three previous runners-up to her name. This will be her first effort for new trainer Richard Fahey.
Elsewhere on the card, Fell has more hopes of adding to his winners’ tally with Inner Circle, placed three times so far this season, in the 7f handicap and he has Guardia Svizzera in the last.
Fell and Fahey are currently Carlisle’s joint leading trainers with five winners each this season. Fahey, who landed a double at the course’s previous meeting on Saturday, has three-year-old Joie de Vivre in the EBF Novice Stakes.
Competition will likely come from William Haggas’ Algaffaal and Curtis will be on board Mick Channon’s Why We Dream making the long journey north from Berkshire.
Curtis, the leading rider at the course this year with five wins and who has twice finished Carlisle’s top jockey in the last three years, will be eyeing up success when he again takes the Palmer ride on Ghayadh in the Smarkets 7f Handicap.
Other leading trainers with entries include Sir Mark Prescott, Iain Jardine, David O’Meara and Tim Easterby.
Molly Dingwall, Carlisle Racecourse’s General Manager, said: “Spectators have enjoyed some wonderful racing in great conditions this summer and we’ve another extremely competitive afternoon of racing lined up.
”We have some really in-form entrants from horses to jockeys and trainers and, as ever at Carlisle, they’ll have to be at their best if they want to get to the winning post first.”
Gates open on Thursday at 12.05pm. First race is 2.05pm and the last race 5.35pm. Adult tickets are £15 (in advance) or £18 (on the day). Under 18s free entry when accompanied by an adult.
