The Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival, which kicked off at Ripon on Saturday and moved on to Redcar yesterday, shifts to Beverley this evening.

The six-race card promises plenty for trainer Ian McInnes and apprentice jockey Lee Topliss.

The pair join forces once again with nap selection Carlitos Spirit, a ten-length winner at Hamilton last Friday night, who turns out at his local Beverley course without a penalty.

The gelding, who galloped his rivals into submission on his latest outing, achieved that runaway triumph in an apprentices’ race, which means he does not incur an otherwise automatic 6lb extra in his next race.

Malton-based Topliss, who made all the running on Carlitos Spirit at Hamilton, will doubtless try to adopt similar tactics this evening in the Carl Skelton Happy Birthday Handicap.

The combination should take plenty of catching, despite the opposition including course specialist Shadowtime, who gained his third and latest win on this track last week. Crucially, Shadowtime does have a 6lb penalty for that success, unlike Carlitos Spirit. It could make all the difference.

Topliss has good prospects of completing a double aboard Stonehaugh in the Skybet Supporting The Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival Handicap.

Trained by Howard Johnson, Stonehaugh won over this course and distance on his latest outing.

At his best when able to make the running, Stonehaugh may be challenged for that lead by Polish World, also a previous course winner this season. But, provided he wins that early battle for supremacy, Stonehaugh is fancied to come out on top for Topliss, a rider in form, who last weekend reduced his riding allowance to 5lb.

In the Yorkshire Radio Handicap, Paul Midgley, trainer of Polish World, can take the top spot with Silvanus.

A winner at Musselburgh two starts back, the sprinter has since run a rock-solid race at Nottingham to finish fourth to Bahamian Belle. A return to winning form is expected here.

Nigel Tinkler can get proceedings off to a winning start with Saltergate (6.30), who has shown enough to suggest that a claiming race such as this is within his grasp. The in-form Silvestre de Sousa has the mount.

Marjury Daw (7.00) goes for her fourth win off the reel for Lincolnshire trainer James Given, who plainly has a progressive and in-form filly on his hands.

Successes at Redcar, Nottingham and Ayr have come the way of Marjury Daw recently and the ease of her latest victory in Scotland strongly suggests that an extra 6lb here will not halt her winning spree. Paul Mulrennan, who has adopted a useful link with the Given stable this season, has the mount.

At Yarmouth tomorrow, make a note of You’relikemefrank (5.15), who makes the journey from John Balding’s stable near Doncaster. A Newbury winner two starts back, he has since finished a good second at Haydock. A return to winning form under jockey Andrew Elliott looks likely.


Racing selections

Beverley (tonight)
6.30 Saltergate, 7.00 Marjury Daw, 7.30 Stonehaugh, 8.00 Carlitos Spirit (NAP), 8.30 Silvanus, 9.00 Escape Artist.

Today’s other meetings:
Ayr, Windsor and Yarmouth.

Yarmouth (tomorrow)
2.15 Masonic Lady, 2.45 Baby Rock, 3.15 Little Oz, 3.45 Russian Rave, 4.15 Frequency, 4.45 Wear ’Em Out Wilf, 5.15 You’relikemefrank (NAP).

Tomorrow’s other meetings:
Bangor, Ffos Las and Kempton.