Cartmel preview: Rolling Dough can rise to the occasion

Rolling Dough shaped really well last time out following a lay off and looks to have been primed to land the 2m 1f handicap hurdle on today’s card at Cartmel for a second successive year (17.00).

The Sophie Leech trained mare ran out an impressive winner 12 months ago, coming from well off the pace with steady run to take up the running on the home bend and stretch clear to beat So Bazaar by three lengths.

Rolling Dough scored with far more in hand than the winning margin suggests, and looks nicely treated in the defence of her crown off just 5lb higher.

The seven-year-old also comes into the contest on the back on an eye-catching effort when fourth of 12 to the in-form Bennachie at Warwick after 125 days on the sidelines.

Rolling Dough rallied to have every chance at the last, before weakening in the closing stages to be beaten just 4 3/4 lengths after jockey James Best dropped his whip on the run-in.

That run should have blow away the cobwebs and put the daughter of Indian Danehill spot on for this, and Rolling Dough has clearly been laid out for the race by Leech.

In the 2m 6f handicap hurdle that opens proceedings (14.20), Indepub is weighted to go well at a decent price.

The gelding was last successful at Carlisle 12 months ago off a mark of 88 when trained by Martin Todhunter.

Indepub harshly got put up to 95 for that one length success and has largely struggled since.

However, the six-year-old’s mark has fallen as a result and he now gets into this off just 87 – 1lb lower than when last successful – having not run badly in two of his last three starts for new handler Lisa Harrison.