A FAIRYTALE continues at Redcar’s new May evening meeting tomorrow (Thursday) when 82-year-old farmer Ray Craggs takes the best horse he’s ever had back to the seaside.

Ron O has won three times at Redcar and thrust the jovial Craggs into the limelight in 2024 when the chestnut won a £70,000 handicap at York at 28-1.

Craggs, who farms near Sedgefield, trains as a hobby and only had four horses at the time. He’d planned to pack up at the start of the 2024 season, but having a horse as good as Ron O kept him going.

Well, Craggs is still going and Ron O returns to Redcar for the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap, with Ryan Sexton in the saddle.

The eight-year-old gelding switched to David Thompson without success in four runs last season but he’s back with Craggs and has dropped to two pounds below the mark when he won his big race at York. He’s been off the track since last August but would be a popular winner if he’s fit enough for a resurgence.

Hurstwood, trained at Malton by Peter Niven, is another three-time winner at Redcar, and he’s back for more in the Download The Raceday Ready App Handicap (Division 1).

He probably needed the run when ninth of 17 at Thirsk on his seasonal bow last month and is on his last winning mark, with Jack Nicholls claiming a handy five pounds.

Ruth Carr’s Emerald Army was well backed on his reappearance at Thirsk in April and ran well to be fifth of 17. He should come on for the run and be a lively contender for Division 2.

Mick Appleby’s Looks Fantastic won for the first time in 11 attempts when landing a 16-1 victory under Alistair Rawlinson at the opening Redcar meeting of the season, and the combination team up again in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap, hoping to defy a 3lbs penalty.

Recent easy Bath winner Mohmentous makes the long trip from Ollie Sangster’s yard for the Marske Fabrication and Engineering Handicap with Danny Tudhope an eye-catching booking.

Irishman Stephen Hanlon took over the licence from Ann Duffield at Sun Hall stables, near Leyburn, at the start of the season and he’ll be hoping Woody Y Fernandez, a decent third at Wolverhampton last time out, can land the Watch Race Replays At racingtv.com.

Kitsune Power, representing the prolific combination of Tim Easterby and David Allan, could be the answer to the Market Cross Jewellers Handicap. Third at Beverley and Catterick for Reality Partnerships in his last two runs, he’s down to a winnable mark.

Redcar’s eight-race evening card kicks off at 4.40pm with the racingtv.com Novice Stakes and the powerful Newmarket yard of William Haggas will be hard to beat with Song of the Clouds, ridden by Cieren Fallon.

The Night of Thunder filly showed a lot of promise on her only run when second at Newbury despite encountering trouble at the start.

PICTURE: Ron O, Ray Craggs and Ryan Sexton after winning at Redcar in 2023