Richard Birch's play of the day at Carlisle

Sacred Falls
7.30 Carlisle

Sacred Falls will prove devilishly difficult to beat when she makes a quick reappearance in the 6f handicap (7.30) at Carlisle after Friday’s excellent Hamilton short-head second.

The Katie Scott-trained four-year-old was last off the bridle at Hamilton by some considerable way, and looked certain to win when throwing down a strong challenge to course specialist Iris Dancer inside the final furlong.

She pulled almost five lengths clear of the third, Quintus Arrius, but couldn’t force her way past the ultra-determined Iris Dancer, who was landing her sixth course-and-distance success.

There is little doubt, however, that the highly progressive Sacred Falls, winner of a soft-ground handicap at Ayr last October, still managed to record a career-best performance. The handicapper will obviously put her up a few pounds for that run, so she is well in at Carlisle.

Her form with recent Haydock winner Mereside Diva last autumn – she beat the David and Nicola Barron-trained runner at Ayr before going down by a nose to her at Redcar – looks strong, and the faster ground should not bother Sacred Falls as there are firm-ground winners in her family.