DAVID Pipe's thoughts are surely focused on the coming three days at Aintree – but MR BIG SHOT can ensure the team head to Merseyside on a high by extending his unbeaten record to three at Carlisle.

The Pond House handler has one of the Grand National favourites in Vieux Lion Rouge to look forward to and while Mr Big Shot is obviously a much lower-profile beast at this stage, he should be more than good enough in the Pauline Phizacklea Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Carlisle.

He won a bumper at Uttoxeter last March before finally taking his chance over hurdles at Wetherby in January.

Lining up in what appeared to be a fair novice heat, Mr Big Shot still looked quite green, but he got a fine ride from today's jockey Tom Scudamore and never really looked like being beaten after assuming control at the last.

He was a ready winner that day and there appears to be plenty more to work with for David Pipe.

SAN SATIRO can hit the mark for Paul Nicholls in the 188bet.co.uk Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton.

A dual point-to-point winner last spring, San Satiro did not make his hurdles bow until February, when he came up against a hot favourite at Fontwell.

The market leader unsurprisingly proved far too good, while San Satiro looked very much in need of the run as he dropped away when the pace was upped a notch.

He had run creditably up to that point and should certainly not be written off yet, with Harry Cobden in the saddle today.

Nap selection SHAH OF ARMAAN was thoroughly disappointing last time but should be given chance to redeem himself in the sunbets.co.uk Handicap under Tom Eaves at Wolverhampton.

The four-year-old was certainly not without his supporters at Southwell last month but he put up no kind of show at all, backpedalling apace in the closing stages to finish last of 12.

Yet the Southwell Fibresand would not be for every horse and it is heartening that Kevin Ryan's charge has shown much better form on this Tapeta surface, running with credit at both Wolverhampton and Newcastle in the past.

He is perhaps much better judged on his third in a competitive Newcastle event on his penultimate start or his maiden win at Wolverhampton back in January, when he looked quite smart in victory.

DREAM LOVE was a shock 50-1 winner on her racecourse bow and while she could not follow up next time, she should not be ruled out of the 32Red Handicap at Kempton's evening meeting.

She beat on odds-on favourite on that first occasion and that rival has since gone on to victory, with another of those further down the field also subsequently scoring to give the form a really solid look.

Trainer Simon Dow must have fancied his chances of another win at Lingfield next time but the race did not really pan out in her favour and she was just tapped for a bit of toe in finishing third.

The handicapper has thankfully left her mark alone after that run and a perch of 75 appears perfectly workable for jockey Jim Crowley.

DHALAM is worth looking out for in the second division of the 32Red.com Maiden Stakes as he makes his racecourse bow. Frankie Dettori takes the ride for John Gosden and this Lonhro colt boasts a very nice pedigree.