THIS week the British Horseracing Board announced a record number of fixtures for 2002, but only one Sunday less, leaving 19.

Saturday night racing has always been popular, but with so much Sunday racing, Saturday nights are lost.

There are 192 continuous days of racing again which will leave trainers, jockeys and staff yet again exhausted.

Today and tomorrow sees racing at Redcar where, hopefully, good crowds can be expected. There's plenty to see and do for all the family.

One important race on the card is The Northern Echo Handicap. Hopefully, if the ground doesn't dry out too much, we'll be represented by Bundy, who is in good form. Dale Gibson takes the ride as his regular pilot, Tony Clark, is not at the meeting.

RECENTLY we were visited by children from a blind school in London who travelled north on a Variety Club coach mainly to visit Storyteller. They spent the afternoon in our yard patting and stroking their friend.

I was delighted when Michael Roberts steered him to victory at Pontefract this week.

Their school contacted me as they had all listened to his race and cheered him home.

It's nice he's giving a lot of enjoyment to these children as well as everyone else involved with him.

He's had serious training problems and hasn't won for two years but, hopefully, on softish ground he'll win again and repay his owners and everyone else involved with him. He's a star.

TODAY I run Al Azhar at Haydock. I've stepped him up in trip and if he stays he'll run well. Richard Quinn rides.

The disappointing Square Dancer and Walworth Star run at Redcar, where I'll attend, but with 20 runners in their race anything could win.

NORTHERN Echo is entered on Monday at Southwell over the mini-fence type hurdles. Ground permitting he'll probably run.