Carlisle Review

Ahead On The Flat had a successful afternoon at Carlisle's biggest day on the Flat on Wednesday with five winners, namely Bountiful (100/30), Sea The Thunder (2/1), Jabaara (6/4), Barley (11/2) and Red Pixie (11/8). Jabaara won the feature event the Listed Eternal Stakes claiming her second Pattern win following on from her success at Musselburgh last time. The Exceed And Excel filly was a leading fancy for the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot this time last year but never quite lived up to expectations as a juvenile. However, she was been placed by Roger Varian and his team and has appreciated the return to seven furlongs. Partnered by James Doyle at the Cumbrian track, she travelled strongly and, despite edging to her right inside the final furlong, stayed on strongly to win by a length and a quarter. One could envisage her running in something like the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood (31st July) at the end of next month. 

Sea The Thunder became the first three year old to win the Cumberland Plate for some time making all under Hector Crouch and scoring by a length and a half off a mark of 84. Ralph Beckett's Kingman colt was winning for the first time having been placed on three occasions previously. He should continue to be competitive in decent middle distance handicaps and there is no reason to believe he won't stay further than a mile and a half.

Even though AOTF had a productive day, one couldn't help feel frustrated at the end of play having nominated the former Beckett trained Leadenhall for the Carlisle Bell in the Royal Ascot Update. A non stayer over ten furlongs at York last time, the four year old had conditions in his favour with fast ground and a stiff eight furlongs. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong did so - he was drawn wide in stall 14 and was given an overly aggressive ride from the front - very much in the mould of Roi De France at Windsor on Monday evening. At the time of writing, the sectionals have yet to be released but it was evidently from the outset, Tim Easterby's runner went too hard. Not surprisingly, he was running on fumes approaching the final furlong and faded. The son of Kingman is at his best when held up in a well run race and has never made all in his career. He didn't feel the opportunity to show what he is capable of.

Ironically, I am heading north of the border on Thursday for Saints and Sinners night at Hamilton Park for Racing TV and will therefore update the Diary in the next few days.