Stainsby Girl is our bumper debutant at Carlisle tomorrow (Sunday)

Stainsby Girl runs in the last race at Carlisle tomorrow, a National Hunt Mares Only Flat Race. It's slightly surprising that there are only 4 runners declared given that the advanced going is soft on the course's inner track. So, small field.....good or bad?

Ideally, this being the Shirocco filly's first appearance on a racecourse, a bigger field to provide some cover to allow 'Nell' to settle would have been preferred. She travels well at home but wouldn't be the fastest of the string when asked to quicken at the end of her work.

Donald McCain saddles 50% of the field with the home-bred Rising Blush and the Brian Hughes ridden Shocana's Joy. Given the jockey booking, it is the latter who looks to be the stable selected. Shocana's Joy ran twice in Irish Points in March this year, the best of which was a 2nd place to Legends Gold who subsequently finished a fine runner up on bumper debut at Aintree for Emma Lavelle.
Like Stainsby Girl, Rising Blush makes her racecourse debut. She is a daughter of Pheonix Reach out of a mare who won 7 times over jumps when trained by McCain - so a nice winning pedigree.

Which leaves the likely favourite, Michael Scudamore's relatively experienced Flemensfirth mare Rosie and Millie. She was runner up in two of her three Irish Points showing roughly the same level of form as Shocana's Joy. However, she has shown solid form in her two bumper runs in November, the best of which was a third place last time at Wetherby.

Rosie and Milly looks the one to beat, and we'll be looking for Stainsby Girl to settle nicely for Callum and enjoy the experience, as she's sure to come on for the run.

Good luck to Helen Simpson and Al Duncan, and hope you have a nice Sunday at the races.