For the second time within 10 days Carlisle stages a steeplechase worthy of Cheltenham or Aintree.

Last Thursday, the Dianne Sayer Beginners Chase saw a quintet of young chasers destined for the highest class and this coming Sunday the listed Colin Parker Memorial has attracted a countrywide entry of potential stars.

Last week’s Beginners Chase was a quality act. Nigel Twiston-Davies saddled Good Boy Bobby, a previous Carlisle winner over hurdles and successful six times in 2018/19.

Sue and Harvey Smith were represented by their Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Midnight Shadow, and Ben Pauling sent up his talented Global Citizen to make his debut over fences.

This left the Olly Murphy trained Brewin’ Upastorm to complete an outstanding field.

Richard Johnson settled the latter in last place as Good Boy Bobby led from flag fall.

Turning for home, he was still in front but an expensive error four out sapped his energy and on the uphill run to the final fence the champion jockey had come from last to first on Brewin’ Upastorm with the race apparently at his mercy.

The pair landed a length to the good but to his credit Good Boy Bobby rallied strongly on the run-in and there was only a head between the first two passing the judge.

A leading novice hurdler last season, Brewin’ Upastorm looked a most promising recruit to the chasing scene and it would be no surprise to see him at the Cheltenham Festival next March.

Cumbrian stables enjoyed a couple of popular victories later in the afternoon with Cartmel’s Jimmy Moffatt taking the handicap hurdle and Maurice Barnes lifting the handicap chase with Bafana Blue. Jimmy Moffatt’s win came from Native Fighter,who was reverting to hurdling on his debut for the Cartmel trainer after running well for previous connections on the flat at Musselburgh.

Native Fighter was partnered by Charlotte Jones and the talented 7lbs conditional gave a polished display as Native Fighter was badly hampered by a faller at the flight midway down the back straight.Charlotte gave her mount time to recover his rhythm before bring him through to challenge over the last two flights and riding him home with hands and heels.

Charlotte works full-time at the Moffatt stable and her first hand experience with the horses is a significant advantage in action on the racetrack.

Ross Chapman enjoyed a smoother passage on the Farlam-trained Bafana Blue holding a handy position through the race before committing his mount to lead over the last open ditch. Bafana Blue stayed on resolutely up the hill and could follow up at the Blackwell venue under a penalty on Sunday.

Lostintranslation could be the classiest and the most exciting horse among the five-day entries for the Colin Parker Memorial Chase.

Colin Tizzard’s charge was a top novice chaser last season, winning Cheltenham’s Dipper Chase on New Year’s Day and the Mildmay Novices Chase at the Aintree Festival.

Lostintranslation was also placed in the JLT Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and is regarded by his trainer as a potential Gold Cup winner.

Warren Greatorex has pencilled in La Bague au Roi for Carlisle but his impressive chasing prospect is also engaged in tomorrow’s Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

The same query surrounds Vindication. Kim Bailey’s lightly- raced gelding, a Carlisle winner last autumn, would be a popular choice on Sunday if declared overnight.

Oliver Sherwood, whose Grand National hero Many Clouds won the 2016 Carlisle feature, has the useful Piton Pete ready to travel and provided that the rain keeps away Nicky Richards has his dual chase winner My Old Gold a possible contender.

The Greystoke mare would have to be seriously considered particularly if some of the market principals were to drop out overnight.

The first race at Carlisle is due off at 12.45pm and half-an-hour later, Gordon Richards is remembered with the running of the novices handicap chase bearing his name.

His son Nicky has an appropriate runner here in Chapel Stile back in action after missing all last season through injury.

Nicky is hoping that Chapel Stile will develop into a leading novice chaser on the northern circuit.

Cumbrian stables can then pick up a couple of other races on the card. Dianne Sayer has to be fancied to land the handicap hurdle with the consistent Frightened Rabbit and, as mentioned earlier, Bafana Blue can follow up his recent course victory by capturing the Cumberland Chase for Maurice Barnes.

Highlight of Wetherby’s two-day meeting is Saturday’s Charlie Hall Chase and, with Brian Ellison’s team in such tremendous form, there can be a back-to-back success for Definitly Red.

Danny Cook’s mount goes well fresh. The stable is landing winners like shelling peas and, if anything, this year’s renewal is less competitive than last season’s race.

A plethora of jump racing in the North this weekend sees Ayr staging their second meeting within five days and both Jimmy Moffatt and Tristan Davidson will be optimistic of putting their names on the scoreboard.

The latter saddles Justatenner in the 3m handicap hurdle and few horses in training are more worthy of a winning turn. Justatenner’s recent third at Wetherby resulted in yet another creditable placed effort and he will receive no leniency from the weights juggler. He goes well at Ayr though and Harry Reed will be desperate to judge his challenge to a nicety.

Jimmy Moffatt ‘s patience with The Steward finally paid off at Cartmel’s August meeting when the gelding opened his winning account for the stable with a wide margin success over the Cartmel specialist Beeno.

The Steward now tackles stronger competition in Ayr’s Scottish Champion Hurdle Trial but with confidence restored, he can bring off another rewarding touch.