Redcar’s final meeting of 2023, scheduled for tomorrow, has had to be abandoned due to the terrible weather we've been having around the country.
It follows the loss of our previous meeting on October 30, and Redcar’s General Manager, Amy Fair, has spoken of her disappointment at losing the last two meetings of the year:
“It’s been a desperate shame but we’ve been powerless to do anything about it in the face of such awful conditions," said Amy. "That said, we shouldn’t lose sight of the highlights we’ve enjoyed at Redcar during the season. There’s been a lot to enjoy, and we look forward to starting again in April.”
So, instead of dwelling on the disappointments caused by the bad weather, here’s a look back on the positives of the season at Redcar…
1. We were delighted to launch the new season back in April with news of a major new sponsor. The SDDE Smith Group were announced as our partners in the Straight Mile Series – a collection of companies embedded in the local community. The perfect match.
2. On April 17, Shariq Mohd wore a huge smile after riding his first ever winner on board Maysong, trained at Newmarket by Alice Haynes, in the SDDE Smith Group Handicap. The 7lbs claimer, who hails from Delhi, came to this country seven years ago – having never even sat on a horse!
3. Moving on to May 29, and Oviedo became the first three-year-old in 27 years to win the historic Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup. The victory earned the Lope de Vega colt a trip to Royal Ascot for the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes, where he ran with credit.
4. May 30 was a day teenager Jack Nicholls will never forget. The 16-year-old rode his first ever winner on Hurt You Never in the Watch Race Replays On Racing TV Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap. The filly, trained by the young rider’s dad, Adrian, won by five lengths. “It’s the best feeling ever,” said an elated Jack.
5. Veteran trainer John Wainwright was in nostalgic mood on June 23 after his mare Biplane flew home under Paul Hanagan – 36 years to the day after he trained his first career winner at Redcar. A horse called Royal Course, ridden by Lindsay Charnock, won in the North Yorkshire trainer’s first season back in 1987.
6. Megan Toas was in party mood after being named Redcar’s Best-Dressed Lady on a sun-kissed and well-attended Ladies’ Day. Megan, who makes a living organising children’s parties, gasped: “I can’t believe it!”
7. Meanwhile, the Best Hat competition was won by stay-at-home mum, Ashleigh Canwell, of Bishop Auckland. Hats off to her!
8. The Ladies’ Day star on the track was David Egan, who rode a treble on Brave Empire and Russet Gold (pictured below) for Roger Varian, and Mirrie Dancers for Roger Fell.
9. There was a poignant result in the Market Cross Jewellers Handicap on Caribbean Carnival Day, on August 12. The Tim Easterby-trained winner, Pete The Brief (Number 8 below), was named after well-known racing figure and solicitor Pete Gorvin – and his son, Mike, was at Redcar to see the gelding lose his maiden tag.
10. Four-year-old Clark Latheron, from Redcar, was the winner of the junior fancy-dress competition on Caribbean Carnival Day. Clark dressed up as his favourite pantomime villain, Captain Hook, to win a treasure chest of sweeties.
11. The adult competition was won by another jolly pirate, Vintie Colton, a museum curator who’d travelled down from Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders. Ooh argh, Vintie, me hearty!
12. Ben Curtis was the toast of a fabulous Gin and Gents evening on August 27, riding a sparkling hat-trick on Spanish Rock, Strong Johnson, and Oso Rapido (pictured below) – for three different trainers.
13. At the same meeting, veteran Sedgefield farmer Ray Craggs was all smiles after Ron O powered clear under Ryan Sexton to win the Host & Stay Handicap at 22-1. Craggs lamented afterwards that he’d bought the horse from good friend Mike Rozenbroek, explaining: “I did a deal and told him I’d give him another four grand if it won a race. It went out and won – so I had to pay up!”
14. August ended in fairytale style for Sean Kirrane. Fresh from riding his first Group One winner on Live In The Dream, in the Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, on the Friday of the York Festival, the young jockey won the opener on Redcar’s Saturday meeting. He was on board the Tim Easterby-trained Jewel Maker, who stayed on strongly in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Apprentice Handicap.
15. There was an emotional outcome to the Best-Dressed Couple contest on Gin and Gents evening when newly-weds, Sarah and Andrew Hall, were chosen as the winners. The couple, from Redcar, were married two months earlier after Sarah was diagnosed with brain cancer. “I’m doing my best to kick cancer in the backside for as long as I can, and being married to Andrew is amazing, because he’s my best friend too,” said Sarah.
16. Keen athlete Vic Brudenell – a member of New Marske Harriers – ran off with the Best-Dressed Man title on Gin and Gents evening. We have to say, he was very well turned out!
17. On September 19, Redcar paid tribute to Edward Hide, one of the greatest jockeys to have ever graced the track, after he passed away at the age of 86. The Celebrating The Life of Edward Hide Restricted Novice Stakes was won by Townsend Manor, trained at Newmarket by Kevin Philippart de Foy, and ridden by David Allan. Rest in peace, Eddie.
18. On the same day, jockey Ben Curtis clocked up the magnificent milestone of 1,000 British winners when Merrijig won Redcar’s Watch Replays On racingtv.com Handicap for Newmarket trainer John Berry. Curtis admitted afterwards: “I didn’t even know it was the 1,000th!”
19. Into October, and Redcar’s richest race, the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy, was won in emphatic style by odds-on favourite Dragon Leader, ridden by Derby-winning jockey, Richard Kingscote, and trained by Clive Cox.
20. The other listed race on October 7, The Racing TV EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes, produced a cracking finish, with Vafortino and David Allan getting up on the line to beat Oisin Orr on board Ramazan.
21. Oisin Orr gained compensation when the progressive Painters Palette won the SDDE Smith Group Straight-Mile Series Final Handicap. The victory represented a brilliant bit of training by Rebecca Menzies because the Lope De Vega gelding – owned by The Horse Watchers 10 syndicate – had needed a lot of work at home to get him to calm down.
22. Storm Babet may have brought many parts of the country to a standstill, but the Redcar Racecourse team played a blinder to enable the October 20 meeting to go ahead despite the wind and rain. Malton trainer Tim Easterby shone through the gloom by landing a double with Glendown and impressive debutante Valentine Catcher. It was a day when the bookies had to be positioned inside for the first time anyone can remember.
23. After the October 20 meeting, Hayley Turner revealed the dramatic circumstances that led to her missing an easy winning ride on Run Zarak Run (pictured below) in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Novice Stakes. Hayley was on her way to Redcar when her car got stuck in floods and she had to be hauled out by firefighters! Run Zarak Run burned up the track to win by 11 lengths.
We can’t wait to see what highlights are in store in 2024. We kick-off the season on April 1 – Easter Monday - when, hopefully, we'll be bathed in Spring sunshine. Until then, thank you for your support in 2023.
