FEW could dispute the fact that Redcar stages a tip-top card this afternoon, so be sure to get along to the course if at all possible to witness some superb racing, writes Colin Woods.

The totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy forms the centrepiece of the fixture, with 26 juveniles scheduled to hurtle down the six-furlong track for the right to grab a share of the £150,000 in added prize-money.

Sir Mark Prescott's runners at the track are like gold dust, therefore the presence of Violette (2.55) in the big-race will probably have the bookies quaking in their boots.

Unfortunately for them, apart from chalking up a ludicrously short price about Violette, there's going to be no hiding place because the major players in the betting ring are sure to steam in on what appears to be an old-fashioned "steering job".

In a sport often shrouded in mystery, one thing never lies and that's the clock. And it is the indisputable evidence of a fantastically fast-time victory a fortnight ago, a race run five-hundredths of a second quicker than the Ayr Gold Cup contested one-hour later over identical conditions, which appears to put Violette in a league of her own.

The final of the £30,000 Carlsberg Straight-Mile is going to take some winning, however my money is on Hartshead (2.25) to reverse a recent Ripon defeat at the hands of Granston.

Everything went right for the latter that day, whereas Hartshead had to contend with a rubbish wide draw, plus a poorly-judged ride when given too much ground to make up from the rear of the field.

For any avid paddock viewers never to have clapped eyes on Mine (3.25), take a look at the James Bethell-trained seven-year-old.

Mine, the 2004 Royal Ascot Hunt Cup winner, has muscles in places most people have never dreamed of, the sum of which have combined to provide him with the power to poach many a bumper pay-day in the past.

He needs a bit of cut in the ground over seven-furlongs, so if the forecast rain arrives on cue there's every chance he'll make his presence felt in the £28,000 Weatherbys Bank Guisborough Stakes.

In the closing Jean & Derek Blackburn Golden Wedding Handicap, Bright Sun (5.10) could be the answer. Kim Tinkler's headstrong partner has a tendency to pull but given his peach of draw in stall one he is ideally placed to run his rivals ragged.

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