FORMER invalid Silver Knight can reward the patience of his connections by winning the feature race at Carlisle tomorrow.

The Tim Easterby-trained gelding goes for the £12,000 Ashleybank Investments Handicap Chase with David O'Meara in the saddle, and is fancied to score.

A useful horse a couple of years ago, Silver Knight missed the whole of last season through injury but, still only seven-years-old, looks to have recovered his ability.

In need of his comeback race at Haydock, the Great Habton gelding showed the benefit of that outing when finishing third at Wetherby 12 days ago, a performance which suggested that he was returning to form.

More will be required to win tomorrow, but Silver Knight has a fighting chance.

Easterby and Russ Garritty can make their presence felt with Pay Attention in the CFM Handicap Hurdle.

A prolific-winning novice last term, the four-year-old should be all the better for a recent comeback outing at Wetherby. It would come as no surprise to see Pay Attention returning to form.

Unexplored will be a popular choice in the European Breeders' Fund Novices' Hurdle. The Howard Johnson-trained five-year-old shaped really well to finish two-lengths second to the smart High Day at Hexham recently and is entitled to have come on for that outing, his first of the season.

From a stable which sent out a winner at Sedgefield yesterday and which now looks to be back on track after a spell in the doldrums, Unexplored looks a tempting wager.

Jolika is awarded my Nap vote in the D & C Mitchell Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle. A good second to The Names Bond at Hexham recently on her first start since April, Jolika is fancied to step up on that display.

Her trainer Len Lungo has booked Tom Greenall, Mick Easterby's experienced amateur, for the ride. Greenall rode a winner for the stable at Ayr last season on Brandy Wine.

Turpin Green makes plenty of appeal in the Winterthur Life Novices' Chase. A more than useful novice hurdler last season, Nicky Richards's well-regarded gelding has all the credentials to make an even bigger name for himself over fences. This looks a good place to start his fencing career and he is expected to go well under Tony Dobbin.

Thursday's tips

Carlisle

12.10 Percussionist, 12.40 Baffling Secret, 1.15 Turpin Green, 1.50 Unexplored, 2.25 Silver Knight, 3.00 Pay Attention, 3.30 Jolika (Nap).

Uttoxeter

12.20 The Mick Weston, 12.50 Best Profile, 1.25 Rustarix, 2.00 Tiger Talk, 2.35 Mount Clerigo, 3.10 Yassar, 3.40 Icare d'Oudairies.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Taunton.

This afternoon's Lingfield meeting was called off this morning because of frost.

Updated: 11:57 Wednesday, November 23, 2005