Carlisle, Salisbury and Worcester

Carlisle stages its biggest day of the year today, with the historical Carlisle Bell and Cumberland Plate, both races with a centuries-long tradition. Today they are only class 4 handicaps, buzt are still quite valuable (20k GBP to the winner) and have each attracted a maximum field of 17 runners. The Carlisle Bell over a mile at 16.35 CET is very open indeed, and Carlito´s Spirit (Rod and James Millman), Nevada Desert (Richard Whitaker/ Michael Stainton) and Observatory Star (Tim Easterby/ David Allan) are 3 very tentaive suggestions for the short list. In the Cumberland Plate over 1 1/2 miles half an hour later Hit´s only Vic (Declan Carroll/ David Allan) goes for a four-timer, with top-weight La vecchia Scuola (Jim Goldie/ Daniel Tudhope) and Olimpo (The Millmans again) two of many dangers. Salisbury also features a histoircal race title, the Bibury Cup, nw a class 3 hamdicap for 3yo´s over 1 1/2 miles at 16.15. Top-weight Warringah looks a typical Sir Michael Stoute improver and can continue jockey Ryan Moore´s good run. Moore is especially dangerous when riding for his father Gary, and Officer -who last ran at Abu Dhabi in February- looks a very interesting runner in the class mile handicap at 17.15. Luca Cumani´s top-weight Military Cross (interesting jockey booking with Dane O´Neill) is also coming off a long break, while Hustle (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes), the only 3yo in the field, is best on recent form. Paul Niholls and Ruby Walsh could be the team to follow at Worcester´s N.H. meeting and can land a double in the two main races with Forest Green at 16.55 and Roby de Cindre half an hour later.