Big day at Carlisle Racing enthusiasts may have do without action today in Ireland with the cancellation of Limerick but armchair followers have some interesting fare at Carlisle to fill the void with Russinrudi in the opening novice hurdle being of particular interest. This enormous seven-year-old won two point-to-points when with Eoin Doyle. Don McCain has him now and described how he got him at the sales in Cheltenham because other potential buyers were put off by his size. Tim Leslie the owner was keen to buy though and he looks a big relentless galloper. Indeed his ex-owner John Dollard said after he scored at the Pigeons: "If someone was to come along and offer us a fortune for this fellow we would sell. However we're thinking long-term and I'd love him to run in a race like the Midlands National at Uttoxeter which The Bunny Boiler won for me before he landed the Irish National." His rivals today at this stamina sapping circuit are Bally Wall representing Ian Ferguson with Johnny Farrelly up. Bring On The Judge will go into battle for the Twiston Davies and Dove Hill another ex-Irish 'pointer' completes the line-up for Howard Johnson and Brian Hughes. He was disqualified (prohibited substance) before later setting the record straight when with Philip Fenton. Later in the graduation chase at 3.00 Big Fella Thanks has his first start for Ferdy Murphy. This is an interesting heat with the Tizzards Hey Big Spender, the Nicholls' trained Massasoit, Howard Johnson's Prince De Beauchene and the outsider Hunters Ploy.
