Daniel Tudhope - In The Saddle: Eccleston ready to show Ayr Gold Cup credentials

After a double at Catterick on Wednesday, I’ll be aiming to add more local winners to my tally.

This afternoon sees me at the track closest to my home at Thirsk before nipping up for one ride on Newcastle’s all-weather surface this evening.

Tomorrow is a rare Saturday afternoon off, though – with the nights now starting to draw in – the ‘evening’ meeting at Redcar means a start time for me of 5.15pm.

Eccleston, who is entered for the Ayr Gold Cup next month after finishing sixth in the Silver Cup last year, possibly gives me my best chance of a winner today. That’s in the 4.05pm handicap.

He won the corresponding race 12 months ago and, while he hasn’t been back in the winners’ enclosure since then, he has been given a good draw in stall 16 of 18 and I think he will run a big race.

Up at Gosforth Park, my single ride is on Mustaqqil in the 7.35pm handicap. This will be his third experience on the new all-weather track there and he goes into the race off a reasonable performance when placed at Wolverhampton a week ago. He could run well.

Filudo was thrown in at the deep end at Royal Ascot for a debut in the Listed Chesham Stakes. He didn’t defeat any rivals that day and it showed he wasn’t ready at that stage.

But that he was entered at such a meeting shows the regard in which his work at home was held.

He has continued to impress on the gallops and I would expect a big run from him in the 5.50pm novice race at Redcar tomorrow.

Flyboy is another who could perform well. He goes for the straight mile handicap at 6.20pm.

He has one victory to his name this season – that came at Haydock – and he was last seen out when mid-division in the Raylor’s – 70 Years In York Handicap on Knavesmire early last month.

There’s more to come from him and he could spring a surprise.

Reflecting on last week’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, it was, as always, a fantastic occasion.

I enjoyed one winner on Firmament in the Clipper Logistics Stakes. Any winner at York is a good one and even more so when the racing is as competitive as it was at the prestigious August four-day meeting.

So Beloved ran a great race to be second in the Group 3 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes, while Custom Cut – who won the corresponding race two years ago – was a gallant third in the Group 3 Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes.

A special word of congratulations, too, for my colleague, Paul Mulrennan, who rode Mecca’s Angel to victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes for the second year.

All in all, it was a great Ebor Festival, with four Yorkshire yards having winners, and a meeting enjoyed by more than 84,000 spectators, who attended over the four days.

After the fun and great sport at York, there was very sad news this week that the Yorkshire racing journalist and broadcaster Tom O’Ryan had passed away due to cancer at the age of 61.

It all happened so fast from when we first learned that he was very seriously ill.

Everyone in the Weighing Room admired and had huge respect for Tom, who started life as a jockey and was a key member of the team at Richard Fahey’s yard.

He acted as mentor to so many northern riders, including all those in the Macmillan Ride of Their Lives. Our thoughts are very much with Wendy, Robin and those closest to him.

Tom was a great one for developing talent and approved of the Pony Race Series which forms part of the action at York a week on Sunday.

The next racing at York is on Sunday week – September 4 – when it is The Family Race-day.

For the first time, Paddington the bear will be at the racecourse.

As well as the seven thoroughbred races, there are two pony races in the Charles Owen series.

Admission for adults (accompanied children go free) is from £12 – and there are early bird discounts, too.

Find out more and book tickets at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk.