STEEPLECHASING fans are in for a treat at Carlisle tomorrow when all six races will be run over fences.
Because of the waterlogged state of the hurdles' course, the BHB has given special dispensation to abandon all the original races over the smaller obstacles and replace them with chases in order to save the fixture.
Len Lungo is one trainer with good reason to be pleased the Carlisle meeting is going ahead.
The Carrutherstown handler is churning out winners at an extraordinary rate and looks likely to add to his score tomorrow.
Lungo saddles Global Search in the Rosley Novices' Chase and this recent Ayr winner promises to take all the beating under Tony Dobbin.
The in-form Dobbin also takes the mount on Lungo's Lord Of The Sky in the Margaret Watson of Loweswater Novices' Chase.
Easy winner of both his outings this season, Lord Of The Sky, an exciting recruit to chasing, has every chance of completing a hat-trick.
Lungo also has good prospects of winning the featured £10,000 Ashleybank Investments Handicap Chase with Mike Stan, but he is overlooked in marginal favour of Pink Gin.
Trained by Sue Smith, Pink Gin reserves his best for this course and was successful in this race 12 months ago.
The veteran campaigner has been in good form this season and he is fancied to get the better of Mike Stan in a race which has cut up to only four runners.
Dook's Delight, who got off the mark at Sedgefield last week, can defy a 7lb penalty in the Dalston Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase.
At Uttoxeter, in-form John Mackie can add to his bulging scoresheet with Joe Crump in the Ischbeck Titan 10th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old has won his last two races in the style of a reformed character and his five lengths success over Rudi's Pleasure at Cheltenham last time confirmed him to be a horse on the upgrade. He is awarded the Nap vote.
The Pickled Duke should give a good account of himself in the Barry D Trentham Challenge Bowl Handicap Chase.
The eight-year-old showed useful form at this level last season and he hails from the Tom George stable which has been in particularly good form lately. It would not surprise me to see The Pickled Duke make a triumphant return to action.
Lord Richfield, sure to be all the better for his recent pipe-opener at Haydock over hurdles, switches to fences in the Stately-Albion Novices' Chase and goes into battle with every chance of victory.
What's Up Boys can demonstrate the benefit of a little chasing experience when he lines up in the improbably-monikered Golden Knob Novices' Chase at Taunton tomorrow.
The classy hurdler found one too good on his first attempt over fences at Exeter last month when Take Control looked a little more professional at his obstacles before scoring by six lengths.
But that run was no disgrace as Take Control has won again since and What's Up Boys may have needed the run on his first start since May.
The drop back to the two miles and three furlongs tomorrow should be no problem, given the pace he showed last season over hurdles, particularly when coming from miles behind to win the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
Tomorrow's tips
Carlisle
12.55 Global Search, 1.25 Lord Of The Sky, 1.55 Dook's Delight, 2.25 Pink Gin, 2.55 Granit d' Estruval, 3.25 Gayles And Showers.
UTTOXETER
12.45 Wemyss Quest, 1.15 Who Dares Wins, 1.45 Seattle Alley, 2.15 Lord Richfield, 2.45 Joe Crump (Nap), 3.15 The Pickled Duke, 3.45 Polar Star.
WARWICK
1.00 Guard Duty, 1.30 Sleepy River, 2.00 Hachty Boy, 2.30 Kings Rapid, 3.00 Precious Island, 3.30 Doctor Dove.
TAUNTON
1.05 Miracle Kid, 1.35 Tortugas, 2.05 What's Up Boys, 2.35 Cresswell Native, 3.05 Norlandic, 3.35 Mister Benjamin.
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