BRIGHT SUN has been in short supply over the Bank Holiday so let's hope the horse of the same name can provide some welcome cheer for Redcar's racegoers.
Although Nigel Tinkler's six-year-old lines up in the Turf TV Betting Service Handicap having apparently run poorly at Chester last time, the mile-and-a-half trip was all against him on that occasion.
Now reverting to his optimum distance in far more familiar surroundings, Bright Sun (3.10) will likely prove hard to peg back at a track where he's positively thrived in the past.
The Matt Seymour "Friend of Racing In the North" Maiden Stakes pays tribute to my predecessor who did such sterling work for Northern Echo SPORT prior to his retirement ten years ago.
According to recent evidence the most likely winner of Matt's race is Murbeck (3.45), a neck second to a John Gosden-trained hot-pot at Goodwood.
The pair put bags of daylight between themselves and the third that day, a factor which suggests the form is nothing short of rock-solid for the mile-and-a-quarter encounter.
Murbeck's jockey, Neil Callan, has definite double chances aboard Tenancy (4.50), a leading contender for the Party Night Handicap over six furlongs.
Trainer Jamie Osborne might well have got his sums wrong regarding Tenancy, a three-year-old he 's been campaigning at seven furlongs and one mile.
Tired of seeing his inmate establishing a lead only to be overtaken in the closing stages, Osborne has finally seen the light and opted to go sprinting with the well-bred son of Rock Of Gibraltar.
If Butterfly Bud (5.20) can build on his promising Nottingham reappearance, then the Maiden Handicap should be well within his remit.
In all probability Butterfly Bud was not quite match-fit at the Midlands venue having been rested over the winter, but with the benefit of that run under his belt, the gelding should now be razor-sharp.
Sandown's evening fixture deserves a mention, principally because of the extremely valuable £85,000 Group 2 Henry 11 Stakes.
The two-mile feature was won 12 months ago by Tungsten Strike, who this time round may have to play second fiddle to Mount Kilimanjaro (7.50).
John Dunlop's improving young gun came back with a bang to score at Nottingham, an eye-catching triumph which hinted the gutsy four-year-old had plenty more fuel in the tank.
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