Will history be made by a £700 mad, old horse at Cartmel on Monday?

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In Monday's email Chris writes about veteran runner Tonto's Spirit at Cartmel – and subscribers can get more great insight, tips and racing chat from Chris every Monday to Friday.

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History could be made by a wild-eyed veteran at Cartmel today, on what you probably imagined was one of the quieter days of racing's year. It's a low-key Monday, we've already lost the evening cards at Windsor and Beverley, but you'd better tune into the 2.05pm race at the Lake District venue, or you might really miss something.

Tonto's Spirit has seven wins at Cartmel to his name, matching the record set by Soul Magic, Harriet Graham's old star who has been retired a few years now. Today, Tonto's Spirit has a cut at breaking new ground with what would be his eighth course success and no less an authority than the Post's Spotlight tipster thinks he will manage it, against four rivals in a handicap chase.

He's the oldest in the field at the age of ten and hasn't won since the end of last summer. On the other hand, he is sliding back down the weights and the betting market is showing signs of enthusiasm, shortening him to 7-2 from the opening 5s as I type.

"He's always loved Cartmel," says Dianne Sayer, trainer of Tonto's Spirit. "We haven't quite got him back on track yet this year but I'm ever hopeful that he will come back to his former glory.

"It was a hot race the last time. It'll no doubt be competitive enough again tomorrow. But we'll be there, giving it our best shot. He's in good order and good heart. Hopefully, I'm getting him there as well as I can."

Sayer describes Tonto's Spirit as "a real family favourite". Bought by her mother, Evelyn Slack, for "about £700" as she recalls it, the horse was originally trained by Sayer's late brother Ken Slack, whose daughter, Anna, now looks after him. He carries the colours of Sayer's father, Arthur Slack.

That purchase price now looks a real bargain, considering the horse has since won 15 times. But there was a reason for it.

"As a three-year-old, he was fairly unmanageable," Sayer recalls. "That's why we ended up with him."

She credits Ken and his assistant Dave Richmond for finding a way to train this fiery character, but it was a slow process. "The first time he won at Cartmel, he'd been up the gallops six times before he went.

"As he's got older, he's got a lot better but there's still only my head lass that rides him. He's not for the faint-hearted, even at home. He's got one way of going and that's pretty much flat-out.

"You've got to be careful with him, everything you do, you've got to be on your game when you're around him, because he would flatten you as soon as look at you. Not maliciously but he's just got that wildness in him, which is probably what makes him so tough.

"His eye tells you everything. He's got quite a wild eye."

Remarkably, Tonto's Spirit is not the only Cartmel specialist Sayer has handled at her Cumbrian base. She also trains Beeno, six times a winner there, who was fifth of 14 on Saturday when trying to match his stablemate's record. He will have one more go next month before retirement.

What's the key to spotting a horse that will go well at the idiosyncratic circuit? "I just think it's taking them there often enough. People say: 'Your horses always handle Cartmel so well.' I say, yeah, it's because I keep taking them there until they learn how to handle it.

"Some horses obviously like the fairground, they like the buzz. And they ring that bell as the horses come into the straight, it's a tradition, and I reckon Beeno and Tonto both hear that bell and know that it's time to go."

Monday's picks

It's not great news for Tonto's Spirit that he's up against one from the Peter Bowen stable, one of two yards with runners today that are officially in form, according to our Signposts feature. I'll stay out of that race but a couple of other Bowen runners look very backable, albeit at short odds.

Dalkingstown (12.30) showed battling qualities to score twice around Worcester last month and this track could be the chestnut's cup of tea. A combination of tongue tie and cheekpieces seems to have helped.

He's up against a handful of last-time winners but it was a weak affair that Bintheredonethat won, while Benito is not sure to appreciate the extra quarter-mile, or the faster ground. There's 2-1 available.

Forever Forward (1.00) is a progressive four-year-old who seemed on his way to scoring here in May, when he was last off the bridle. But he may have hit the front a shade early and didn't quite get home.

A couple of months later and on a quicker surface, he should have more to offer again. He's 7-2.

Does Tonto's Spirit get a mention from Richard Birch?

Three things to look out for today . . .

1. Some familiar sprinters go to Ayr for what appears to be a new race on today's card, the Ayr Gold Cup Trial. Offering £15,462 to the winner, it's the most valuable race at the Scottish track today but has attracted horses who are probably going to be in the consolation races in September, rather than the fantastically competitive Gold Cup itself. Aberama Gold won a nursery at the Gold Cup meeting in 2019 and was just run out of the places in the Silver Cup the following year. Just behind him was the fast-finishing Bernardo O'Reilly, who'd been in midfield in the 2019 Bronze Cup. Streamline was unplaced at a big price in last year's Silver Cup, his first try at the course, when Black Friday wasn't far ahead of him. Call Me Ginger won the Bronze Cup last year, having been a disappointing favourite for that race the year before. Never Dark was just a length behind him in fourth in September, while Pockley finished last and then scoped dirty. Hopefully, things will go better for Linda Perratt's four-year-old this time.

2.Youmdor is an interesting name in this evening's penultimate race at Ballinrobe, making his first appearance for 16 months. Now five, he was last seen running out the back in the Fred Winter won by Jeff Kidder. He had previously seemed about to beat Teahupoo at Fairyhouse until taking a novicey fall at the last. This will be his first Flat start since joining Willie Mullins from Freddy Head, for whom he won a £21,000 prize at Deauville a couple of years ago. He is expected to start favourite for tonight's 1m4f handicap, despite the long absence.

3.Midnight Run is another interesting jumper-on-the-flat in the concluding maiden at Ballinrobe. From Joseph O'Brien's yard, this eight-year-old has never previously raced under Flat rules and was last seen falling three-out in the Drinmore. His most recent success was a maiden hurdle at Gowran in 2019 but he's shown enough quality since then to make him of obvious interest here. He won two of his three bumpers back in the day.

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday