Two year old race to watch

I am working at Carlisle on Thursday evening and the Cumbrian venue stages an intriguing five runners two year old event over the minimum trip on Friday (1.40). Karl Burke's team will have been disappointed that Kylian didn't make a winning start to his career on his debut at York's Dante Festival last month. Rumoured to be very smart, the son of Invincible Spirit may have left his race in the paddock beforehand having been colty. He will be expected to make amends here.

However, it may not be a straightforward task. Bryan Smart fields his first juvenile runner of the year in Lady Nunthorpe who is owned by the late Reg Bond's family. A daughter of Mehmas, she is out of three times winner No Lippy and therefore a half-sister to Norfolk Stakes runner-up Walbank. She cost 450,000gns as a yearling. Charlie Johnston runs the debutant Desert Raider who is a half-brother Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Dick Whittington. And last, but certainly not least, Emperor's Son makes his racecourse bow for Richard Fahey, whose juveniles have been in terrific form. Reported to have worked very well, he is considered towards the forefront of the Musley Bank two year old team. He is a son of Kodiac. It should be a belter and a race well worth following.