RICHARD Fahey has had another outstanding season and the North Yorkshire trainer appears to hold the aces in Redcar’s richest race of the year tomorrow (Saturday).

Malton-based Fahey saddles eight runners for the Totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy worth nearly £100,000 to the winner.

The stable’s form horse is Darkanna, who was beaten just under four lengths behind Aidan O’Brien’s One Thousand Guineas favourite, Clemmie, in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Park Stakes at Newmarket a week ago. A repeat of that run would surely see her go close.

However, former champion jockey Paul Hanagan, Fahey's main jockey, rides stablemate Crownthorpe, who is 8lbs lower in the weights than Darkanna.

Crownthorpe won at Sandown before being a good second in a Doncaster nursery three weeks ago, likes cut in the ground, and is unexposed over six furlongs.

As always, the Two-Year-Old Trophy at 3.20pm has attracted the big guns from the south with Richard Hannon, Hugo Palmer, William Haggas, Michael Bell and Andrew Balding all having a tilt at the lofty prize.

Charlie Hills’ Red Roman makes the long trip from Lambourn and, a winner at Goodwood in August, he looks sure to run well for PJ McDonald.

Meanwhile, Michael Dods, who trains at Denton, near Darlington, is hopeful that both of his runners, John Kirkup and Rumshak will both give a good account of themselves.

Dods said: “I think they’ll both run good races but it’s obviously a really competitive race and a great way to end the season.

“Rumshak is probably better over five furlongs but it’s worth having a try over six and he’ll make up into a nice horse next season. John Kirkup has won three this year and he’s there on merit too.”

It’s a cracking race and the vote goes to Darkanna after her Cheveley Park run but it would be no surprise if ‘Hanagan’s the man again’ on Crownthorpe.

The Two-Year-Old Trophy is followed at 3.55pm by another high-class contest, the listed Totescoop6 EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes, and Roger Varian’s progressive Lahore will be hard to beat.

Lahore made it three wins out of four by winning a Doncaster handicap in really impressive style last month and he looks to be a colt with more in the tank. Charlie Hills’ Jallota, a decent third behind Beat The Bank at Newmarket eight days ago, looks the main danger.

Redcar stages yet another eight-race card after Jack’s Coaches EBF Stallions Novice Stakes split into two divisions. Division One gets the meeting underway at 1.40pm and Roger Varian’s Rich Identity looks the answer. He looked a sure-fire winner in the making when second first time out at Yarmouth.

Tamkeen, trained by Owen Burrows at Lambourn, also ran with promise first time at Yarmouth and may well have learned enough from the experience to take Division Two.

Richard Hannon has a good strike rate when he sends horses to Redcar so Rita’s Man, fitted with cheek-pieces for the first time and with Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle, stands out in the seller at 2.45pm.

Mark Johnston’s Khamarry looked a really useful filly when sauntering home at Redcar earlier this season but she’s disappointed since. She’s the likely favourite for the Racing UK Straight Mile Series Final Handicap at 4.30pm but preference is for Tim Easterby’s three-time course and distance winner Father Bertie who clearly loves the track and has dropped to an eye-catching mark.

Newmarket trainer Michael Bell’s Dream Machine ran his best race yet in winning an Epsom handicap last time, despite being slowly into his stride, and he is fancied to follow up in the Market Cross Jewellers Handicap at 5.05pm.

There was a lot to like about Nuns Walk's victory in an 18-runner handicap at Redcar’s last meeting and Tim Easterby’s lightly-raced filly is taken to stay in the winning habit in the last race at 5.40pm.