Carlisle Racecourse is gearing up for its final meeting of the 2019 Flat race season when it will welcome back two local heroes who have made the course their own this summer.

It has been another brilliant season at Cumbria’s Premier racecourse and a truly memorable one for Dianne Sayer. The Penrith-based trainer has saddled no fewer than six winners to date, including three Carlisle triumphs for Redarna.

And this popular five-year-old will be going in search of a fourth win when he goes in the Sandra And Ted Roberts Memorial Handicap over seven furlongs at the course’s season finale this afternoon.

Redarna will have to do it with a new partner in the saddle, though.

Dianne’s daughter, Emma, rode the gelding to a brilliant double, winning at Ascot on July 27 and then a week later in a memorable triumph in the Carlisle Bell consolation race on Ladies Night. Emma announced her retirement as a jockey after the race, so James Sullivan takes over the rein today.

Redarna will be pushed in this Class 3 race by a host of challengers, including Tim Easterby’s Mikmak who won at Haydock last month with Jack Garrity in the saddle. Another to watch will be Ed Dunlop’s Global Gift who has won three on the bounce, including one race at Carlisle already this summer.

MikMak is one of 11 Easterby runners as he looks to end the season on top of the pile. Easterby has 10 Carlisle winners this term, one behind Keith Dalgleish, who himself is sending five runners from his Carluke stables.

Dalgleish’s Zoravan has placed second no fewer than three times at Carlisle this summer. The six-year-old will hope to go one better in the Racing TV Handicap (Jockey Club Grassroots Middle Distance Series Qualifier).

Mark Johnston and Richard Fahey, the UK’s top two trainers, both have runners, as does the ever-popular Mick Channon who is sending three entries from his West Ilsley stables.

“It will be intriguing to see who ends the year as our top trainer," said Carlisle general manager Molly Dingwall.

Gates open at 12.15pm. First race is at 2.15pm and final race is at 5.35pm. 

For more information and tickets, go to thejockeyclub.co.uk/carlisle.