ALBERT THE BEAR deserves a change of luck in the Club United Handicap at Newcastle today.

Things could not have gone worse for the sprint gelding at Carlisle last time, when he was caught napping in the stalls and then badly hampered over one furlong out just as he was about to deliver his challenge.

Having encountered more traffic problems than a bad day on the A1, Albert The Bear (4.20) actually performed remarkably well to snatch third spot in the contest. Given more luck in running this afternoon, he could well take advantage of an extremely lenient handicap mark.

In the earlier Magpies Handicap, the maiden One Domino (2.50) takes on a couple of previous winners, Original Sin and After The Blue, both of whom travel from powerful southern stables.

The selection can be a rather lazy sort of individual so needs plenty of rousting along, a point I'm sure trainer Michael Dods will be making crystal clear to rider Gary Carter.

Dods also has a runner at Carlisle, our very own Northern Echo in the Cat Egremont Maiden Stakes.

He might be worth a small investment, although the tip has to be Newmarket traveller Prima (2.30), twice placed in decent company last season.

The feature event on the card is the £20,000 mile-and-a-half Cumberland Plate.

Warning Reef, who took the Plate home in 1998, is fully capable of taking a hand this year, but has since acquired an annoying habit of finding one or two too good.

Successful 12 months previous was Hiberante, however he has plenty to fear from the three-year-olds, now rapidly catching up with the older horses in terms of physical development.

One such example is the fast-improving Waseem (3.00). He cost 52,000 guineas as a yearling, showed plenty of courage to record a narrow victory at Pontefract recently, plus hails from Mark Johnston's in-form yard.

John Quinn has been patient with Fantasy Adventurer (3.30), weighted to claim the Clayton Arms Handicap.

Having failed to sparkle in the spring, Quinn rested his filly until bringing her back for a race at Redcar a fortnight ago, where she ran a blinder to finish fourth.

My best news down at Salisbury concerns Clarendon (5.10), lumbered with top-weight in the closing Levy Board Handicap.

Vic Soane's strapping gelding at least has the sheer strength to carry the big lumps of lead stuffed under his saddle to make the jockeys' scales balance.

l Mark Johnston is set to be double-handed in Saturday's Foster's Lager Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, it was revealed yesterday.

The Middleham trainer will be represented by Virgin Soldier, a six-times winner last season and successful over course and distance on his seasonal debut last month, and 1998 Cesarewitch hero Spirit Of Love, third to Dominant Duchess at Royal Ascot last week.

''Both horses are likely to run. I wouldn't want the ground to be too hard but there are some showers forecast and anyway I'm a great believer in proper fast ground,'' Johnston said.

''Virgin Soldier had to miss Royal Ascot last week because he was coughing but we gave him a spin yesterday and he appears fine. Provided there are no further setbacks he will run.

''Spirit Of Love has had a few niggling problems and he wasn't 100 per cent at Royal Ascot last week but he's OK now. But of my two you would have to say that Virgin Soldier would have the best chance.''