THE stars of the future take centre-stage at Redcar on Wednesday when the seaside track stages an apprentice-only meeting for the second consecutive year.

And Jack Callan, who leads the race to be 2026 champion apprentice, will be hoping to extend his lead at the top of the table.

Jack, the son of Group One-winning jockey Neil Callan, has a commanding lead in the championship, with 30 wins since May 2 and a 15 per cent strike rate, amassing £302,671 in prize money.

He has a strong chance of getting off to a good start at Redcar in the opening Racing TV Free Trial British Apprentice Handicap when he rides Amorim for his main trainer, George Boughey.

The Newmarket trainer will, of course, have his sights firmly on Glorious Goodwood as his classic-winning star, Bow Echo, defends his unbeaten record in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes later in the day.

Amorim was a distant last of three over seven furlongs at Newmarket last time out but had been third of ten over a furlong less at Windsor the time before that when fitted with blinkers. He now drops back to six furlongs with the blinkers back on and could bounce back.

At the time of writing, Jack Nicholls is Callan’s nearest rival for the championship, with 21 wins, and he rides Artagnan for Newmarket trainer Hamad Al Jehani in Redcar’s opener. The Mehmas gelding was last of 11when favourite at Redcar last time but had been performing consistently before that.

Both the Newmarket horses have question marks over their last runs, so there may be better value in siding with Kats Bob, trained in North Yorkshire by Ruth Carr and ridden by the talented William Pyle. The eight-year-old gelding won five times last year and was a fine second in a big field at York last time out, beaten only a neck.

Callan and Nicholls have good rides in the second race, the Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Apprentice Fillies' Novice Stakes, with the former on Areti for Berkshire trainer Oliver Cole while the latter gets the leg-up on Royale Union for Middleham’s Karl Burke.

However, preference is for the Pinatubo filly Vanila Skies, trained at Newmarket by William Haggas, who has shown plenty of promise to finish first and second on her two runs. Harry Burns is in the saddle.

The Haggas-Burns combination also have a leading fancy with Wild Dahlia in the Marske Fabrications & Engineering Straight Mile Apprentice Fillies' Handicap. An odds-on winner at Chelmsford in October, followed by a solid second at Kempton, the three-year-old filly has undergone a wind operation and hasn’t seen a racecourse since the autumn. The market should provide a guide to expectations.

Lucky Hero, trained in North Yorkshire by David O’Meara, was a winner at Redcar in April and returns for a crack at the Stephen and Alan Mulley Apprentice Handicap on a mark two pounds lower. Conor Whitely, who is having a fine season with 12 winners and an 18 per cent strike rate in the title race, will give the chestnut gelding plenty of assistance.

Whitely has another good chance with the Mick Appleby-trained Valsharah in the Happy Big Birthday Rachel Blizzard Apprentice Handicap. The grey gelding has been knocking on the door with back-to-back seconds at Brighton and first time blinkers may make the difference.

Whitely also teams up with Redcar regular Pisanello for David O’Meara in the concluding Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars Apprentice Handicap. The nine-year-old came good at the last Redcar meeting and remains well handicapped despite a 4lbs penalty.