Keith Dalgleish and Tim Easterby are sending plenty of prospects to Carlisle’s Family Day meeting as the race to be crowned Cumbria’s top trainer enters its final stages.
This Wednesday sees top quality racing – with eight intriguing flat races – together with plenty of fun activities for racecgoers of all ages going on alongside the track.
And Dalgleish and Easterby will be well represented with no fewer than 18 runners between them.
The pair have both had great seasons at Carlisle to date. Dalgleish has saddled no fewer than 11 winners with Easterby three behind on eight.
And both have some in-form horses to choose from on Wednesday, perhaps none better than Easterby’s Ugo Gregory who goes in the Racing TV Handicap (Jockey Club Grassroots Sprint Series Qualifier) over five furlongs.
The three-year-old – again partnered with jockey Nathan Evans – is looking for a third straight win after two triumphs already this month, both at Nottingham.
He will face stiff competition from Michael Appleby’s filly Bedtime Bella who is no stranger to Carlisle having won here on August 13 as well as at Hamilton on August 3 – both with Sean Davis in the saddle.
Another horse with hopes of a third straight victory is Four Wheel Drive. David Brown’s three-year-old recently won at Ripon and Beverly, both with Graham Lee in the saddle, and he goes here in the Racingtv.com Handicap over five furlongs.
One of Wednesday’s most closely contested match ups is likely to be the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap. The race over 1m 6f 32y is part of the Jockey Club’s Grassroots Stayers’ Series and features the likes of Mark Johnstone’s Grenadier Guard, who is looking to recapture the form which saw him win impressively at Haydock back in June.
Also in the running are Easterby’s Contrebasse, a recent winner at Haydock, and Dalgleish’s Beechwood Jude who won here at Carlisle over 11 furlongs in June and then followed it, on his return a couple of weeks ago, with a second place over the same distance.
The fifth race of the day will see one horse looking to recapture past glories and another looking to continue a fine recent streak.
Richard Fahey’s Firewater has one win at Nottingham and two second places at Haydock and Pontefract under his belt recently while Easterby’s Parole is set for his first run at Carlisle in almost two years.
In August 2017 the then five-year-old hit the headlines as he romped home with Rachel Richardson on board to claim a memorable Ladies Night win. He followed it up with a second place a few weeks later. Richardson will again be in the saddle when this popular horse makes his welcome return to Cumbria.
Another horse looking to continue a winning streak will be My Ukulele. JJ Quinn’s three-year-old filly won at both Musselburgh and Thirsk on her last two outings. She is likely to be pushed by another in-form filly in the shape of Mecca’s Gift who won last time out at Hamilton.
The final race will see John Flint’s Gravity Wave, with Imogen Matthews in the saddle, looking to follow up their win on heavy ground at Nottingham.
Easterby’s final entry of the day Bollin Ted will provide decent competition. The five-year-old boasts six wins from 31 races although he was outpaced last time out at Carlisle finishing eighth.
While there will be winning streaks to defend, and young challengers on show, there will be plenty of things for families to do alongside the track including ‘didi cars’, giant inflatable slide, face painting and two dog show classes in the parade ring.
And the great thing is, as with all race meetings at Carlisle, all under-18s get in ABSOLUTELY FREE when accompanied by an adult!
Molly Dingwall, Carlisle Racecourse general manager, said: “We have eight really exciting races lined up with plenty of runners. It is great to see Tim Easterby and Keith Dalgleish, who have both had great seasons here so far, sending so many runners again.
“Together with the racing we have some really fun things lined up for racegoers of all ages. It is going to be another bumper day here.
“We love to see families here, many for the first time, experiencing a day at the races. There really is nothing quite like it for a brilliant day out for all the family!”
Gates open for Carlisle Racecourse’s Family Day at 12.05pm. The first race is 2.05pm and the last race is at 5.55pm. For more information and tickets go to thejockeyclub.co.uk/carlisle
