Paul Mulrennan: Derby day will see me hunting down more winners at Beverley

This will be Paul’s first ride in the Derby and that comes, ironically, after he left Richard’s yard to become Sheikh Hamdan’s retained jockey.

Mickdaam won his first race at Knavesmire last autumn. The colt spent the winter in Dubai before winning the Chester Vase, the Derby trial won by the legendary Shergar three decades ago.

To date nine winners of York Racecourse’s Group 2 Betfred Dante Stakes have done the Knavesmire/Epsom Downs double. This year’s Dante winner Bonfire is seen as the major rival to favourite and Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Camelot.

This afternoon it is the turn of the fillies and The Fugue, an impressive winner of the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at the Dante Festival, heads the market so the possibility of two York winners landing the honours down south is very real. This was last achieved in 1997 when Reams Of Verse and Benny The Dip obliged.

I’ll be spending Derby day chasing winners at Beverley, one of several meetings in the North over the holidays. There’s no racing action at York Racecourse for a couple of weeks but – as well as Beverley – there’s racing at Pontefract, Redcar and Catterick over the next few days.

I take five rides at Newcastle this afternoon and I would highlight two of them. Eastern Dragon, trained by James Given, whose stable is now enjoying a few winners, goes in the 1.30pm maiden race. He finished mid-division on his debut at Redcar less than a fortnight ago. The stiff six furlongs at Gosforth Park should suit him as he’s a colt that I think will get seven furlongs.

I also like the look of Diamond Blue who runs in the handicap at 5.35pm. Her solitary win, from six races, came a year ago at Catterick. My agent believes that she will run a big race later today.

On to tomorrow and Vino Collapso makes his debut for James Given in the 2pm race at Beverley. He has been working well at home. I rode his stable mate Jadanna to victory at the same track two days ago and, judging on a comparison at James’s yard, Vino wouldn’t be too far behind him.

Cumbrian Craic has won one race from two to date. That was on his debut at Doncaster. He didn’t follow up at York last month but can probably be forgiven that race and Yorkshire trainer Tim Easterby’s horses are running well at present. He goes in the 3pm race.

Looking back to last weekend, I was delighted to score a double at Haydock Park. Mappin Time seems to have got the hang of things now and both he and my other winner that day, Hamza, may go on again. Blinkers certainly helped Hamza to victory. If Finbar is declared to run in the 3.20pm at Redcar on Monday I should be in the saddle. He’s won twice on the all-weather surface at Southwell, but has yet to get off the mark on turf. He ran admirably at Newmarket behind Derby runner Main Sequence and Monday’s race, if he runs, shouldn’t be beyond him.

Once the Diamond Jubilee celebrations are over, I’ll be looking forward to returning to York Racecourse for the June meeting – which is on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16.

Since 1971, the Saturday fixture has raised over £5m for charities. Just by attending, racegoers help to raise money for cancer-related charities, with the main beneficiary being Macmillan Cancer Support.

The next racing at York Racecourse is the two-day June meeting on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16. Gates open at 11.15am, for first race times of 2pm and 2.05pm respectively. On the day admission ranges from £5 to £24 on Friday and £7 to £35 on Saturday, which is Macmillan Charity Raceday. As always, accompanied under-16s are admitted free of charge to all areas. More information can be found online at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk or by calling the racecourse on 01904 620911