It's the 14th annual Red Shirt night at Pontefract this evening, and Tim Easterby has strong claims of bagging the feature race.

The Great Habton trainer is represented by Ryedane in the £18,000 Antonia Deuters Handicap and I expect this Tuesday night winner at Newcastle to score again.

Ryedane had previously won at Catterick, ending a long losing process, and looks a reformed character in recent weeks.

His latest success was achieved in slick style, going to the front soon after the start and running right away from his rivals in the closing stages without being seriously pressed.

Drawn in stall two tonight, he is favourably berthed to adopt forcing tactics and is napped to take first prize.

Trainer Alan Brown, who is based just outside Malton, has had a bunch of winners recently and Blue Maeve can add to his tally by taking the Countrywide Freight Handicap.

The six-year-old bounded home in style at Hamilton on his latest start and is clearly in good form at present. Silvestre De Sousa, who is attached to David Nicholls's yard, again takes the mount on Blue Maeve, who has won over this course and distance.

Peter Niven is another Ryedale trainer with good prospects of success at Pontefract tonight.

He saddles Three Strings in the Danethorpe Racing Purple And Pink Handicap and this recent Hamilton winner should go well.

The Red-Shirt meeting founded in 1993 by Jack Berry, who is renowned for wearing red shirts is in aid of the Injured Jockeys' Holiday Fund, of which Berry is a long-standing trustee. Proceeds go towards sending a group of injured jockeys on holiday this winter to Tenerife.

Racing selections

Tonight.

Pontefract: 6.30 My Secrets, 7.05 Riodan, 7.35 Ryedane (Nap), 8.05 Three Strings, 8.35 Dawera, 9.05 Blue Maeve.

Newmarket: 5.45 Top Spec, 6.15 Cast In Gold, 6.45 Louie Louie, 7.20 Donna Blini, 7.50 Noble Gent, 8.20 Alhaitham, 8.50 Bold Diktator.

Today's other meetings: Carlisle (afternoon, Flat), Newbury (afternoon, Flat), Southwell (afternoon, National Hunt).