3:12 Carlisle Tips

Inis Oirr changed yards in September and on the return from a break, was catching the winner here but came up short by a neck at the post at 3 miles. Worth another shot at 3m2f today off the same mark.

Another chance for Olly Murphy with Westerninthepark. He seems to have improved since joining the Murphy stable and can go well over this long trip.

Val Dancer won this race last season on his seasonal debut and returns today for a repeat performance. He is significantly higher in the weights for today's race compared to last year, but is still an improving horse who is on a winning handicap mark.

Stable going well, and this looks to be on a nice weight on return, just 2 lbs above last winning mark, with soft ground a plus. The trip here will play to his strengths and has more to come as a stayer. Ran well here on the comeback last year behind the progressive Boomslang.

Jet Legs made a mistake in his jumping last time out and ended up losing a race he could have won. We can give him the benefit of the doubt, I think, as he's usually a reliable lad. He should certainly be fit enough here.

Race 6 at Carlisle today is a Handicap (Class 3) over 5,247 m Chase for 4 y.o. and upwards on the Turf with the going reported to be Good to Soft. The suggested wager is for the straight win on the 9yo gelding O'Connell from the SJ Smith yard and will be ridden by Gavin Sheehan. This son of Westerner is a four-time winner all over chases. He comes off an 8-month rest but has run well fresh in the past, has plenty of positives here, and should run well.

The 9yo mare is smart on her day. Coming off a break but top trainer Dan Skelton will have her in good shape and she has run well on her return in the last two seasons. Beaten just a length on her return last Nov off a 10lb higher mark. This class 3 handicap is a much lower level than the races she usually runs in.

He's thrown in on old form, and his best run last season was first up, so it might be the best time to catch him. Still only 9, you'd hope there was life left in him. Perhaps they've tweaked his enthusiasm in the off-season, and this valuable pot is worth targeting.