Paul Hanagan: Hoping Silverheels can be screen star on Redcar’s big day

Smaller racecourses usually come into particular focus just once a season.

That is the case tomorrow at Redcar on Two-Year-Old trophy day. There will be a big crowd at the Tees Valley track and the cameras of Channel 4 Racing will be there, too.

I reckon that I have got some very decent rides and good chances of winners. But it’ll be tough as the races are competitive.

Let me take you through the card. I start off at 2.15pm on Invasor Girl for Newmarket trainer and Yorkshireman-in-exile William Haggas.

The filly made a decent debut at Lingfield this month, and she goes to Redcar in good order. My view is that the Godolphin horse, Fa’iz, is her major rival. Invasor Girl is an each-way chance but might just get her head in front.

In the next race at 2.50pm, my mount is Aquarian Spirit. He’s been doing well, is a course and distance winner for me and – if one puts a line through his last run at Haydock Park – he will have a chance.

Likewise, Majestic Myles was disappointing last time out. However, his previous runner-up spot in the Listed Debenhams City Of York Stakes at Knavesmire was a good performance.

Tomorrow, he goes for the Listed Guisborough Stakes at 3.25pm and in a small field he has a good opportunity to win.

Silverheels is my ride in the biggest race of the year at Redcar – the Listed Totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy, which is worth a minimum of £150,000. It is off at 4pm.

He won on his debut in April, and has been there or thereabouts since then. I don’t think he would appreciate very quick ground, but I’m expecting a big run in what is always a very hard race to win.

Pursuing, which I ride in the 4.35pm race, has yet to show true quality.

Just over half-an-hour later, Silvanus runs for me in the 5.10pm race. He’s been around a long time, and did well for me in his last race at Pontefract when he finished second. He’s not well handicapped these days but he wouldn’t be without a squeak.

Military Call, in the finale at 5.45pm is not one I know too much about. However, my agent rates the horse’s chances and he’s not often wrong.

In the twilight meeting this afternoon and evening at Wolverhampton, my main chances are Maher (7.15pm), which ran well over course and distance earlier this month, and Let Your Love Flow (8.15pm), which was second of five on her racecourse debut at Wolverhampton and has since run in a sales race in Ireland.

Racing fans will have been following the news about the new whip rules that come into force on October 10.

Jockeys, and this is my view, too, are behind any changes that are good for the sport of racing.

The new rules will certainly be a challenge, though. It is going to be difficult, and most riders – myself included – will have to change our style a little to take into account the amended rules from the British Horseracing Authority.

The new rules won’t be in force for the final two days of racing of 2011 at York next Friday and Saturday when the title of top racecourse jockey and the HA Fox Jaguar Trainers’ Championship will be decided.

I have been leading rider on Knavesmire for the last two years, and I’d love to make it three in a row.

The final fixtures of the 2011 Flat racing season at York are next Friday and Saturday, the second day featuring the Listed Coral Rockingham Stakes and the Coral Sprint Trophy. Ticket prices and further details about online booking at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk or call 01904 620911.