Birthday boy Callum Rodriguez was the toast of Redcar today (Thursday, May 4) after celebrating with his 23rd winner.

The apprentice jockey marked his 20th birthday by winning the fourth race on Robert Cowell’s Newmarket raider Capolavero.

The five pound claimer, who hails from Morecambe and is now attached to Michael Dods’ yard at Denton, near Darlington, said: “I woke up today knowing I had a chance of a winner and it makes the birthday extra special.”

He added: “It’s all going really well. I’d ridden two winners over the past two days so that makes it three. I just want to keep improving and keep riding winners.”

His gaffer, Michael Dods, was also amongst the winners, with stable jockey Paul Mulrennan producing the well-backed Grinty to outbattle Jamie Spencer on Michael Bell’s Wonder of Dubai.

Dods, who bought the bay colt at the Newmarket Sales, said: “Paul said he was feeling the ground a furlong out and that was our worry but he did it well in the end. He’s a nice horse and has always had a good attitude. I think he’ll get a mile but we won’t run him again on ground that’s too firm.”

Grinty’s owner John Blackburn has had horses in training with Dods for 20 years and has Ocean Sheridan in the yard as well as recent Beverley runner-up Wahoo.

Grinty was Mulrennan’s second winner of the day, having earlier taken the maiden fillies’ race on Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Classical Times in the well-known colours of Wigan-based Allan Belshaw. Mr Belshaw and his wife Barbara have had horses in training for 40 years, most notably Timeless Times who won 16 races in 1990 when trained by Bill O’Gorman.

Former champion jockey Jamie Spencer made a rare visit to the North-East worthwhile with a cheeky win on George Scott's Newmarket raider Gilgamesh, who has now won four in a row.

Finish of the day saw a thrilling three-way photo in the fifth race of the day, with Richard Kingscote lifting Tom Dascombe’s Teodoro over the line by a nose in front of dead-heaters Ronnie The Rooster and Cliff Bay.

There was another fine finish in the last race when Richard Hannon’s Rita’s Man got up to beat David Barron’s Fairy Lock on the line.

Redcar’s next meeting is on May 22, followed by the Zetland Gold Cup on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29.