REDCAR launches its 2025 season tomorrow (Monday, April 7) with a seven-race card that gives racegoers the chance to see a classic hope in action.
Convergent, trained in North Yorkshire by the prolific Karl Burke and ridden by Clifford Lee, will be a warm order for the Watch Live On Racing TV Restricted Novice Stakes over a mile and a quarter.
Lee was in the saddle when the son of Fascinating Rock won his only start as a two-year-old, landing a novice race in workmanlike fashion over a mile at Redcar in October.
Assistant trainer James Cowley said at the time: “Everything with Convergent this year is a bonus because he has a lot of scope. He’ll be a very nice horse next year.”
The powerful Coverham stable clearly thinks highly of the imposing bay colt because he holds entries in the Two Thousand Guineas on May 3 and the Dante Stakes – York’s traditional Derby trial – two weeks later.
Convergent is trading as a 66-1 outsider for the Newmarket classic ahead of his warm-up run but it will be interesting for Redcar spectators to see how he fares with Lee back in the saddle.
The Burke yard is also likely to have one of the favourites for Redcar’s opening race of 2025 when Ali Shuffle is among nine debutantes scheduled to line up for the Flat Is Back On Racing TV EBF Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes.
In the ante-post market, Ali Shuffle has been vying for favouritism with Sucking Diesel, trained at Newmarket by Alice Haynes, and ridden by Kieran O’Neill. The Aclaim filly is the only one of the ten runners with racecourse experience, having shown promise at Doncaster before weakening, but the betting will provide the clearest guide to expectations by the time they go to post.
Malton stables look set to do battle in the Better Value With Racecourse Bookmakers Handicap, with Tim Easterby’s Flamborough Head, Richard Fahey’s Hashtagnotions, and Mick and David Easterby’s Keats House leading contenders.
Hashtagnotions scored in good style at Newcastle on March 29. All but one of his eight runs have been on the all-weather so far and he could follow-up under Oisin Orr if he can transfer that Newcastle form to the turf.
County Durham trainer Michael Dods has had six winners on the all-weather so far in 2025, and is looking for his first turf victory of the season. He has a decent chance with Roaring Ralph in the Weekly Free Bets With BetMGM Extra Handicap.
The gelding was a course and distance winner over seven furlongs on fast ground in 2023 (see picture below) and has been in good form on the all-weather this year. He had an unfavourably wide draw when fifth at Newcastle last time and could go well under the in-form Sean Kirrane.
David O’Meara, looks to have a strong hand in the racingtv.com Handicap with Barefoot Warrior, running in the colours of Elwick Stud, near Hartlepool.
The son of Saxon Warrior, showed his versatility by winning back-to-back races at Thirsk and Newcastle last summer, and has the strong assistance of Redcar specialist Danny Tudhope in the saddle.
Michael Dods’ Hale End gave the Game On syndicate lots of fun last season, winning three times, and was unlucky in running when a decent fifth at Redcar in August.
He was an entry for the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster’s curtain-raiser to the Flat – albeit with a more realistic prospect of running in the consolation race that day – but has waited for this. He’s on a decent mark, will like the quick ground, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him run well under Connor Beasley.
One of racing’s great characters, Mick Easterby (pictured below), celebrated his 94th birthday last week and he and his son, David, look to have a good chance with Capla Lazarus in the penultimate Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap.
The gelding, ridden by Billy Garritty, ran good races to be runner-up at Beverley and Wolverhampton last season, but has strong opposition in the form of Newmarket raider Lechuga Lad.
Trained by James Fanshaw and partnered by talented three-pound claimer Kaiya Fraser, Lechuga Lad was a close third at Wolverhampton last time, despite pulling hard early in the race, and is re-equipped with a hood.
Kevin Philippart De Foy has a good strike rate when he sends horses from Newmarket to Redcar, and he could have the answer to the final race of the day, the Watch Race Replays At racingtv.com Handicap with Hawkesbury Legend.
The son of Nathaniel was second to a 1-4 shot trained by Michael Bell at Wolverhampton last time. Pat Cosgrave makes the long journey north for three rides and this looks the pick.
