We start Thursday as we ended Wednesday- at Carlisle. The opening sprint handicap (14:10) is little better than average for its grade and so Sunraider is fancied to make it back-to-back wins over C&D. He had been threatening to go in for quite a while before that success, his come-from-behind style suffering from the occupational hazard of trouble in running. He even had to endure some of the same last time, though it wasn't enough to stop him running out a fairly comfortable winner as he asserted in the final 100 yards. That considered, a rise of 5 lb marks Sunraider as a prime candidate to come through again- just so long as jockey Graham Lee can find the gaps.
We hereafter turn attention to Newcastle, which stages the first day of the Northumberland Plate meeting. The big race here is a Class 2 handicap, the Delaval at 15:30 which is a fittingly competitive heat, albeit one more manageable in numbers that Saturday's feature is bound to be. Here it's four-year-old Baraweez that catches our interest. He's barely put a foot wrong since arriving in Britain from France, probably less than primed for his reappearance and beaten since only by one who enjoyed the run of things. In between there have been two wins, including one at Musselburgh a couple of weeks back that was particularly impressive. True, this was over nine furlongs and characterised by a strong finish, though that would be to miss the salient point with Baraweez: he's simply a progressive sort, far from the first to emerge from the Ellison yard in recent times, and one that will surely go close again.
Newcastle's final race (17:30) isn't an altogether strong one among those for three-year-olds. That allows us to take something of a chance on Twin Appeal, whose progress stalled at Musselburgh last time but who would be a standout candidate if able to get back on the up today. A sharp seven furlongs at Musselburgh the time before seemed to be just on the quick side for him, though he nevertheless ran out a convincing winner. A respectable effort there over a mile a fortnight later is a slight dampener, though if he's able to so much as repeat his winning form under conditions that place the emphasis somewhat more on stamina then he's going to set the standard here.
Timeform UK SmartPlays
Back Sunraider @ 3.814/5 in the 14:10 Carlisle
Back Baraweez @ 4.3100/30 in the 15:30 Newcastle
Back Twin Appeal @ 3.55/2 in the 17:30 Carlisle
