2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Preview – DS
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tips
Unfortunately, Dave Stevos’ midweek dabble at Sandown didn’t pay off but at least we learned something. Dandyman Dan did plenty wrong again but with a clear run would have placed and might even have won. It will be very interesting to see where he pitches up next. Now, the focus switches to this weekend’s action, Dave’s 2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday tips are below.
1.30 Carlisle – Betway Handicap (Class 2)
After the drainage issues at Haydock, we’ll be racing at Carlisle instead this weekend. First up we have this re-routed 1m3f handicap and Ian Williams, a trainer I struggle to get a handle on, supplies three of the thirteen runners.
I was half-tempted by Tiernan here. Iain Jardine blew his handicap mark by running him in a listed race on his third start last year. After running in a novice and a maiden, he was probably on for a nice opening mark of around 80 or so but after a big run in that listed heat, he was handed a mark of 101. He’s back down to 90 now but he’s had wind surgery and didn’t show enough on his seasonal reappearance for my liking.
Instead, at 10/1, I am keeping the faith in Castle Stuart. He was a deeply frustrating sixth when we bet him at big odds at York last time. It wasn’t Barry McHugh’s finest hour but Cam Hardie takes over now and the extra furlong here should be right up his alley given how he finished off his race on the Knavesmire.
If Cam Hardie can get him cover and get him settled, he should be finishing off with a right rattle and the handicapper also eased him 1lb for that York effort. Hopefully, this time, Castle Stuart rewards our e/w support.
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tip: Castle Stuart e/w @ 10/1 (4 places) NAP
2.00 Carlisle – Reverence Handicap (Class 3)
I’m sticking to my guns with another horse we have backed to no avail this season. When we backed Dark Cloud Rising at Leicester in April, he was ridden as though connections had another day in mind. Given that he drifted out to 40s at York when we backed him last time, that clearly wasn’t the day.
That was an undeniably disappointing effort but he was drawn on the wrong side and I’m going to put a line through it. The assessor has generously dropped him 2lb for that run, so he’s just 1lb above his last win on turf now. Interestingly, O’Meara is sticking a visor on for the first time. The first time he wore cheekpieces, he won a nice pot at Leicester.
The fast ground is in his favour and with very little rain forecast, hopefully it stays that way. Tudhope, on board for his last two wins, rides, he drops into class 3 company and if he is to get into the Wokingham, he could do with going up in the weights so he will surely be trying this time (famous last words). At odds of 25/1, Dark Cloud Rising is the e/w selection.
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tip: Dark Cloud Rising e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
2.15 Beverley – Hilary Needler Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (Class 2)
The Archie Watson Wathnan Racing debutante, Cosmic Mystery, recently bought for 220k guineas at the breeze ups, is the 2-1 fav here. She’s speedily bred, she’s a February foal and it would be no surprise to see her run well from a favourable draw in stall 2.
The one that makes a bit of appeal at bigger odds is the Mick Easterby trained filly, The Resdev Roman. She made her debut in a class 2 novice over 6f at York 16 days ago and while she only finished seventh, beaten 6.25l, it was a better run than her finishing position suggests.
The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor broke well and showed plenty of speed. She was bang in contention at the furlong pole before her tank emptied and she just got a bit tired in the closing stages.
It must be said that her pedigree suggests she’ll be best at around 1m but given how much speed she showed at York, the drop back to 5f here looks the right move. If she can get away quickly again from stall 6, hopefully she can make a bold bid at odds of 33/1.
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tip: The Resdev Roman e/w @ 33/1
2.33 Carlisle – Achilles Stakes (Listed)
With a rating of 92, Luna A Inbhir Nis (which is Scots Gaelic for Moon Over Inverness) has no apparent chance in this 5f listed heat. However, the daughter of Rajasinghe, who is an underrated sire, showed some smart form last season and she might be able to improve sufficiently to possibly nick some precious black type here.
She surged through the handicap ranks last season, winning five races. Katie Scott’s charge started off rated 60 and by the end of the season, she was rated 94. She ran a huge race in a York heritage handicap (5f, gd-fm) off 86 in August, beaten a head into third, and then she chased home Democracy Dilemma at Haydock off 89.
On her final run of last season she tried her hand in Listed company at Ayr and while soft ground wasn’t ideal, she was far from disgraced in fifth, beaten 3.75l for the win and 0.5l for a place. She’ll be better suited by faster ground here, she should strip fitter for her comeback run at York and at odds of 25/1, she is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tip: Luna A Inbhir Nis e/w @ 25/1
2.48 Beverley – Two Year Old Trophy (Class 2)
The favourite has won three of the last four renewals of this contest. Matteo is the market leader this year for Kevin Ryan and he ran out an easy winner over C&D on his debut last month. Drawn in stall 1, he’s likely going to be hard to beat.
Bayside Boy has made an outstanding start to life at stud and he is represented by Arapaho Gold here, who is trained by Micheal Dods. He shaped like there would be plenty more improvement to come when making a winning start at Thirsk and there’s been money around for him too.
The one I’m going to chance for small stakes at a price finished third behind Matteo here on his debut. Concert Pitch, a son of Kuroshio, was nowhere near as straight as the Ryan horse that day and was sent off at 80/1 but he picked up well when the penny dropped and just failed to get up for second.
C&D Form
Sent off at 9/4 next time, again over this C&D, he was more streetwise but he found one too good. The third from that race ran a cracker in a class 2 novice at Musselburgh next time out so there is at least some substance to the form and I’m not sure good to soft ground that day would have been ideal for Brian Ellison’s charge.
Concert Pitch was stepped up to 6f in a class 2 maiden at Windsor last time out and faded out of contention in the closing stages. I think he’s worth another go at the minimum trip, he has run well both previous starts over C&D and I’m not sure he should be the outsider of the field at odds of 50/1.
2026 Beverley & Carlisle Saturday Tip: Concert Pitch e/w @ 50/1
3.45 Carlisle – Silver Bowl Handicap (Heritage)
We backed Suspended Sentence for this race last week before it was postponed and I am sticking to my guns with him. He should strip fitter for his comeback run at Sandown and Callum Rodriguez, who rode him for his Ripon Novice win last season, is back in the plate for the first time since.
He’ll be suited by the good ground here, he got a pound back for that Sandown run last time and on his French listed fourth last September, he might be able to make an impact off his current mark of 93. At odds of 28/1, Suspended Sentence is the each way selection.
