REDCAR kicks off the new season with a bumper eight-race card on Monday (April 10).

Fresh from a £200,000 investment to improve the race-day experience, the popular seaside course had been scheduled to open with seven races but the third race – The Become A Redcar Annual Badgeholder Today Maiden Stakes – has now been split into two divisions.

Division one at 3.20pm looks particularly competitive with Newmarket trainers Peter Chapple-Hyam and Saeed bin Suroor vying for favouritism with Redicean and Migyaas respectively.

However, Malton’s Richard Fahey puts out a strong hand for Redcar’s curtain-raiser and his Lord Commander looks capable of testing the southern raiders.

Lord Commander is ridden by former double champion jockey Paul Hanagan, who is reunited with Fahey following the end of his association with Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Hanagan has an eye-catching book of six rides as he returns to his northern roots.

Redcar’s general manager Amy Fair said: “With eight races, and a good weather forecast, it’s a cracking start to what promises to be an exciting season.

“It just shows how popular the course is, not just with the northern trainers and owners, but with the big guns from the south.”

Redcar follows up with an Easter Monday meeting the following week when attractions will include a treasure hunt, Easter Bonnet Parade and appearances by the Easter Bunny, Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter.