DAVID O'MEARA, who crowned a fantastic Flat season by winning Saturday's valuable finale, the November Handicap at Doncaster, with Open Eagle, turns his attention to jump racing at Carlisle this afternoon.

The Nawton trainer, whose 2014 campaign was highlighted by his first Group 1 triumph with G Force at Haydock in September, heads to Cumbria to saddle Ifandbutwhynot in the Join Now At rewards4racing.com Novices' Chase with Richard Johnson in the saddle.

A useful horse over hurdles after displaying his talent in bumpers, Ifandbutwhynot won a Listed hurdle at Newbury last season. Rated 139 over the smaller obstacles, the eight-year-old brings a useful profile to fences for his chasing debut. He ought to be hard to beat for a trainer in form.

Barry Geraghty is a rare visitor to Carlisle, but the top Irish rider makes the journey to the course for some fancied rides for Jonjo O'Neill, whose number one jockey Tony McCoy is currently out of action on the injured list.

Geraghty's main ride is on Shutthefrontday in the featured £20,000 Weatherbys Bank Graduation Chase.

The seven-year-old won all three of his bumpers, captured three of his five outings over hurdles and is a dual-winner from only five tries over fences. A classy horse, Shutthefrontdoor will be a tough nut to crack, despite the presence of last year's winner, the Sue Smith-trained Vintage Star.

Geraghty teams up with Presence Felt in the Watch Racing On Sky432 Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old finished second at Wincanton a fortnight ago and has been found an opportunity here to permit him to go one better.

In the bookmakers.co.uk National Hunt Flat Race, Geraghty and O'Neill are represented by Bronco Billy, who commands the utmost respect.

The four-year-old shaped well to finish second at Worcester on his debut and looks capable of making his mark in this sphere.

Also worth noting at Carlisle are Alan Swinbank's Divine Port (1.15), a Kelso bumper winner last season who is set to make his hurdles debut, and Spanish Fleet (2.25), a wide-margin winner here last week who turns out again under a 7lb penalty.

Flat racing on turf may have ended on Saturday, but it continues on synthetic surfaces and Frankie Dettori, pictured, turns up at Kempton this afternoon. He has good prospects of a winner aboard Nigel's Destiny in the Download The BetVictor Instabet App Handicap.

Jeremy Noseda's three-year-old won on this course 12 days ago and has the scope to double up before the handicapper catches up with him.

John Gosden has a handful of juveniles worth following throughout the card. The Newmarket trainer saddles China Club in division two of the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden Stakes, and the Shamardal colt is napped to confirm the promise of his debut display.

China Club finished third to Spanish Squeeze here just under three weeks ago. That experience should stand him in good stead this time.

Gosden also introduces a couple of well-bred newcomers, Peterhouse (3.20) and Mahsoob (4.50), both of whom are worthy of attention.

In the saddle on all three of Gosden's two-year-olds will be William Buick, who will ride as first-choice jockey for Charlie Appleby, one of the Godolphin trainers, in 2015.

Buick can ride a winner on this card for Appleby aboard Holiday Magic (2.50), who has won his last two races on this course and looks to be still improving. He is fancied to complete a Kempton hat-trick.

 

Selections

Carlisle today
12.45 Rowdy Rocher, 1.15 Divine Port, 1.50 Ifandbutwhynot, 2.25 Spanish Fleet, 3.00 
Shutthefrontdoor, 3.30 Presence Felt, 4.00 Bronco Billy.

Kempton today
2.15 True Course, 2.50 Holiday Magic, 3.20 Peterhouse, 3.50 China Club (NAP), 4.20 Nigel’s Destiny, 4.50 Mahsoob, 5.20 Panatella, 5.50 Larghetto.

Today’s other meeting
Southwell.

Tomorrow’s meetings
Huntingdon, Lingfield and Sedgefield.