THERE will be a festival atmosphere at Cartmel Races' Bank Holiday Monday meeting and FESTIVAL KING (n.b.) is chosen to give top jockey Timmy Murphy a winner at the Cumbrian track in the Cengiz (Gus) Sadik Memorial Handicap Chase (4.05), writes Flared Nostril.

Murphy gave the six-year-old a steady ride when second to Masterpoint at Stratford and though Pat Robson's charge has risen in the weights for that effort, he looks to have more to give.

Excuse the pun but I'm sweet on LAWGIVER (nap) for the Stick Toffee Pudding Handicap Hurdle (4.40). He is just 1lb higher than when third to McQueen at Bangor and though beaten a fair way - about 15 lengths - the time of that effort was pretty good, suggesting he may be a bit better than the hanidcapper gives him credit.

Forecast at 15-2, he looks excellent each-way material.

Experienced Maidstone Mixture will be all the rage for the opening Swan Notel Newby Bridge Juvenile Novices Hurdle, but Yorkshire trainer John Quinn has a good reputation with hurdles and sends RIVINGTON PIKE to make his debut. He has shown fair ability on the flat, will have been well schooled and in receipt of a useful 7lb from the favourite - worth the risk, you decide.

MOON MELODY beams out all the right signals with his form for the selling race (2.55) on this card. It's a big drop in class for the son of Monjeu, who once went through the sales ring for 320,000 guineas. He must go close here if he is to be kept in training.

JORDAN'S LIGHT (5.15) can show the way in the final race, a maiden hurdle, after a very good third on his debt, and is fancied to turn the tables on second-placed Hernando Cortes.

Perhaps the most competitive race on the card in the Chas Kendall Handicap Chase half an hour earlier, and MOOR SPIRIT came off the pace to win a shade cosily last time and can make light of his 11 years by following up.