COURSE specialist Hurstwood is aiming for his sixth Redcar win as the seaside track stages its penultimate fixture of the season on Friday.
The nine-year-old grey gelding, trained at Malton by former jumps jockey Peter Niven, won for the fifth time at Redcar last month.
He also won at Redcar on his previous outing in August and has become one of the most prolific course specialists in recent years.
After finishing fourth on his last outing at Ripon, he returns to Redcar for the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap with talented apprentice Jake Dickson taking off a useful 5lbs.
Niven also saddles last year’s winner Sugar Baby in the same race, with 3lbs claimer Jack Nicholls in the plate. The eight-year-old gelding is on a pound lower mark than when winning last year but he was a disappointing 12th of 14 at Redcar last time out.
Niven also scored with Jam Lass at this meeting last year, with the mare springing a 25-1 surprise in the Watch Race Replays At racingtv.com Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap.
Jam Lass is turned out for the same race again this year and is reunited with winning rider Joshua Brown, though she won’t be 25-1 this year after decent efforts on her last two runs at Ripon and Pontefract.
Redcar’s eight-race card is jam-packed with runners as the season nears a close, and the first race, the Join Racing TV Now British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (Division One), gets underway at 1.20pm.
Cieren Fallon has an attractive book of rides, starting with Extragalactic for the powerful William Haggas yard. The son of Space Traveller has finished a good runner-up on his only two outings so far and this looks a good opportunity to go one better.
Pushing The Limits, trained in Wensleydale by Stephen Hanlon, was a promising third of 13 on his debut at Newcastle and could be the main danger.
David Probert is another southern-based rider to make the long journey north and he looks to have solid prospects on My Girl Dee Mo for Hugo Palmer in the Join Racing TV Now British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (Division Two).
She improved for her debut when beaten only a head by an odds-on favourite in a Haydock novice on her second run, and looks set to go one better.
The Probert-Palmer combination has another good chance with Trapped Goddess in the following Watch Live On Racing TV EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes. She did well to be runner-up on her debut at Haydock last month and should benefit from the experience.
However, she is likely to face tough opposition from the Haggas-Fallon partnership represented by recent Pontefract winner From Afar.
Lion of Persia may be ready to roar in the Market Cross Jewellers Nursery after showing marked improvement to finish second of 10 at Catterick in July. Trained at Newmarket by Robert Cowell, and ridden by George Wood, the recently gelded juvenile appeals on his nursery debut.
Malton trainer Nigel Tinkler has had another good season, and he saddles the consistent Sergeant Mayer in the Sam Hall Memorial Handicap, honouring one of Redcar’s most prolific trainers.
The gelding was completing a hat-trick when winning at Redcar in September and was far from disgraced when third of nine at Newcastle last time out. Faye McManoman, who was on board for the first of the hat-trick of wins, is back in the saddle.
One of the main dangers could be stablemate Houndhill, a recent course and distance third, with Cieren Fallon an eye-catching booking.
Moostar, trained at Newmarket by James Owen, overcame a slow start to win under 7lbs claimer Oliver Hoodless in a Leicester apprentice race 10 days ago. She escapes a penalty so should run well again under the same rider in the racingtv.com Handicap.
Picture: Hurstwood wins at Redcar in September