DRAGON Leader and Derby-winning rider Richard Kingscote look poised to roar to victory in Redcar’s richest race of the season on Saturday.

The highly regarded son of El Kabeir is a short-priced ante-post favourite for the listed William Hill Two Year Old Trophy over six furlongs now he’s back on his favoured faster ground.

The colt, trained at Lambourn by Clive Cox, won his first three starts, including a valuable prize at York’s Ebor meeting. He then went to Doncaster for the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 Two-Year-Old Stakes over six-and-a-half furlongs, and lost his unbeaten record to Kevin Ryan’s Room Service, with connections blaming the soft ground.

Conditions should be ideal at Redcar on Saturday with a return to the bare six furlongs, and he will be hard to beat in the valuable sprint with the strong assistance of Kingscote, who won the 2022 Epsom Derby on Desert Crown.

Redcar stages a second listed race, with the Racing TV EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes attracting a high-quality field. The best form on offer is Streets of Gold’s third place in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, on ground similar to the conditions he’ll encounter at Redcar.

The wheels came off at Newmarket next time, but Streets of Gold showed enough promise when fifth in a listed race at Newmarket in August to think that his journey north from Oxfordshire won’t be in vain, with the talented Georgia Dobie taking the ride.

The other highlight of the eight-race card is the SDDE Smith Group Straight-Mile Series Final Handicap. It’s a race that Tim Easterby likes to target, and he had multiple entries, including the veteran Redcar specialist Give It Some Teddy, who could be a decent each-way bet.

However, stable jockey David Allan rides Strongbowe, who ran a cracker to be second to Ron O over the course and distance in August and could run well at a nice price now he’s back to his last winning mark.

Redcar’s premier meeting gets underway at 1.40pm with the Racing TV EBF Stallions Novice Stakes (Division 1). John Quinn’s Greer cost 105,000 euros as a yearling and got his career off to a winning start in impressive fashion in a Chester maiden. The Night of Thunder colt can follow up under James Sullivan.

Contrast, trained by Mick and David Easterby at Malton, has been knocking on the door, coming second in his last two races at Pontefract and Beverley, and he’ll be fancied to go one better in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap, with the popular Joanna Mason in the saddle.

The Group 1-winning combination of Ed Bethell and Callum Rodriguez team up with Gressington in the Racing TV EBF Stallions Novice Stakes (Division 2). The colt was a cosy winner on his debut at Southwell last month and could progress.

However, Zain Blue, trained at Newmarket by John Butler, was a solid second to Aidan O’Brien’s Battle Cry in a good maiden at the York Ebor meeting, and it will be hard to lower the colours of the son of Blue Point.

Shrewd County Durham trainer Michael Dods has been patient with Wor Willie this season, and the gelding goes to post for the Market Cross Jewellers Handicap on a mark two pounds lower than his last win. Graham Lee rides and he should be in the shake-up if he gets a decent gallop.

Dods will also fancy his chances in the final race, the Watch Race Replays On racingtv.com Handicap, when he saddles recent Wolverhampton scorer Nelson Gay. The fact that Hollie Doyle is hanging around to take the ride is a positive sign.

• The William Hill Two Year Old Trophy will be televised by ITV Racing at 2.45pm.
• Main picture shows Richard Kingscote at Redcar earlier in the season