James Sullivan, the season’s leading apprentice, heads to Leicester tomorrow in a bid to continue his successful association with trainer Ruth Carr.

The North Yorkshire partnership, who have already combined to record 15 winners this term, can add to their tally with nap selection San Cassiano in the Happy 70th Birthday Jack Paley Handicap.

A 6lb penalty for a recent Ripon success may not be enough to halt San Cassiano, who made all the running on his latest start and ran on well to beat the fancied Kensei by two lengths.

Stillington-based Carr has her horses in terrific form at present.

Sullivan, who is attached to Mick Easterby’s Sheriff Hutton yard and on 38 winners for the year, is comfortably ahead in the junior title, in which he finished third last season.

Tim Easterby, fast approaching his 60th winner of the year, can hit the target with Fast Shot in the Leicester Mercury Family Fun Day Handicap.

A sprinter at the top of his game, Fast Shot has won his last two races, at Catterick and Doncaster.

He needs a career-best performance to complete the hat-trick off a 6lb higher mark tomorrow. But the task may not be beyond him.

Milton Bradley fields Roodee Queen, a prolific winner, against Fast Shot, and whatever the outcome, Chepstow-based Bradley has another fighting chance with The Tatling in the Edmonds And Slatter 25th Anniversary Handicap.

Surely the most popular sprinter in training, The Tatling, now a 14-year-old, has won almost £686,000 in prize money and has won 17 races in a dazzling career. Admittedly, he is nowhere near as effective now as he once was, but he was a winner three starts back and his latest second-placed effort at Bath suggests he may have another race or two in him. He is assured of a very warm reception if he comes out on top tomorrow.

Sledmere-based apprentice Neil Farley won on Night Trade for Debbie Sanderson at Catterick earlier in the week. And the partnership make a quick return to action in the Rutland Selling Stakes. Night Trade is well-in on official figures and is expected to take some beating.

Shane B Kelly, another local apprentice, attached to John Quinn’s Norton yard, also has a winning chance at Leicester aboard Solar Spirit in the Rotherby Handicap.

Kelly scored on the Tracy Waggott-trained gelding at Carlisle a couple of weeks ago and top-weight may not stop a repeat.

At Windsor, a note should be made of the promising Gifted Dancer (2.30), the hat-trick seeking One Hit Wonder (3.30) and the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Word Power (4.00), who is fancied to make it third time lucky after finishing in the money in both her previous starts.


racing selections

Leicester: 2.15 Snooky, 2.45 Night Trade, 3.15 Fast Shot, 3.45 San Cassiano (NAP), 4.15 Cadmium Loch, 4.45 The Tatling, 5.15 Solar Spirit.

Windsor: 2.00 Galloping Queen, 2.30 Gifted Dancer, 3.00 Especially Red, 3.30 One Hit Wonder, 4.00 Word Power, 4.30 Tegan, 5.00 The Name Is Frank, 5.30 Advertise.

Today’s meetings: Ascot, Ayr, Haydock, Lingfield, Newmarket and Redcar.