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Apprentice jockey Conor McGovern announced his arrival in England in some style as he landed one of the most historic prizes in racing – The Carlisle Bell.

The 22-year-old County Monaghan jockey claimed his first ever winner on English turf by leading 6/1 shot Waarif to a superb three-quarter-of-a-length victory in the famous race which dates back to 1599.

The David O’Meara-saddled five-year-old was very strong in the final two furlongs to hold off the challenge of Raselasad and Presidential.

After the race, Conor, surrounded by a large group of happy owners, said: “It’s a big race, an historic race so it couldn’t have gone any better. It’s a proud moment to get a ride in The Bell let alone win it.

“I felt Waarif had a chance today, he has been running consistently and he was always in with a shout.

“A furlong to go he was batting on. He’s quite strong in the finish and he will always do what he can to help you – he gives you everything he can.

“It’s a great day for the owners and it’s brilliant that we could pull it off.”

McGovern is the first apprentice to win The Bell since 2012 when Willy Twiston-Davies won on Levitate.

The second feature race of the day The Cumberland Plate was won by Tim Easterby’s heavily-backed favourite Aasheq. The five-year-old was always in control of the 1m 3f race under the control of David Allam.

Another horse that was always in control was Richard Fahey’s Dance Diva in the £40,000 Class One Eternal Stakes.

It was a one-two for the Fahey yard as Dance Diva, ridden by Paul Hanagan, was pushed all the way to the line by stablemate Clubbable ridden by Tony Hamilton.

Fahey, who won The Carlisle Bell in 2017 with Carnageo, said: “Both are strong fillies who have been riding consistently well.

“It’s a good result. We knew Dance Diva had a very good chance and she has run solid all year. She has run at the highest level all her life and on the day it is job done and we are very pleased.”

Elsewhere on the card, Ben Curtis – this course’s leading jockey – led from start to finish on David Loughnane’s Baby Steps to land the 5f Edmundson Cabletech Carlisle Novice Auction Stakes and take his winning tally to six for the season.

Molly Dingwall, Carlisle Racecourse’s General Manager, said: “It has been a brilliant day.

“The weather has been sensational, temperatures have topped 30 degrees and it was lovely to see thousands of people here on our most historic race day.

“We are delighted for Conor McGovern and David O’Meara winning The Bell. It was great to see a young apprentice claim such an historic race

“We are back racing on Saturday July 7 when Paloma Faith will be delivering a great after-racing concert. This is going to be another wonderful day at Carlisle Racecourse and we cannot wait.”

Circa Waves are to join Stereophonics at Scarborough Open Air Theatre this summer.

Stereophonics play Europe’s largest open-air arena on Thursday July 19. Tickets are on sale now via www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com

Liverpool indie band Circa Waves – Kieran Shudall (vocals, guitar), Sam Rourke (bass), Colin Jones (drums) and Joe Falconer (guitarist) – have built up an army of devoted fans since they spectacularly arrived on the scene in 2013.
Their debut album ‘Young Chasers’ hit the UK Top 10 and included four Radio 1 A-list singles ‘T-Shirt Weather’, ‘Stuck in My Teeth and ‘Get Away’ and ‘Good For Me’.

They followed this up with 2017’s ‘Different Creatures’ which brought a bigger, louder sound and singles ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Fire That Burns’ . The Number 11 album was rewarded with a string of stellar reviews and more sell-out live shows and unforgettable festival appearances.

Circa Waves will open the show for Stereophonics who play Scarborough OAT for the first time.
Twenty years after their debut ‘Word Gets Around,’ Stereophonics’ tenth studio album ‘Scream Above The Sounds’ was another critical and commercial hit for the band.

It followed ‘Keep The Village Alive’ which went straight to No.1 when it was released in 2015 and became their sixth chart-topper after ‘Performance And Cocktails’ (1999), ‘Just Enough Education To Perform’ (2001) ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’ (2003), ‘Language. Sex. Violence. Other?’ (2005) and ‘Pull The Pin’ (2007).

Stereophonics followed the success of ‘Scream Above The Sounds’ by playing a massive arena tour of the UK which has seen them play to more than 150,000 people this spring.

Tickets are on sale from www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or from the Scarborough Open Air Theatre Box Office (01723 818111) and the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau (01723 383636).

With Carlisle boasting nine million visitors in 2017, the city’s most historic sporting attraction is playing its part and proving its appeal is as enduring as ever.

“Carlisle Bell and Plate Day is a popular and important part of the city’s cultural heritage – and a key part of a thriving year-round events calendar.”

Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, is left in little doubt as to the importance of Carlisle’s very own ‘Derby Day’.

In an era when the city’s tourism offering is diverse – from pop concerts starring music legends to multi-coloured climbing centres and a vibrant cultural scene – our most historic and famous race day is set to wow crowds again, and in the way it always does best.

Around 5,000 people are expected to don their finery and head to the city’s famous old racecourse on Wednesday June 27, just as generations have done before them.

Many will journey in from all corners of the UK, adding to a tourism boomtime for Cumbria, and particularly Carlisle.

Carlisle Bell and Cumberland Plate Day has certainly stood the test of time – more than 400 years to be precise. And it is not only a popular day out, but a piece of Carlisle’s living history that gives a further boost to the city’s vital, and growing, tourism economy.

The Carlisle Bell can trace its running all the way back to 1599. The race’s name derives from the bells awarded to the first winners in the reign of Elizabeth I. ‘The Bells’ are the oldest sporting trophy still contested today.

This year’s event is set to be keenly fought with increased prize money of £137,500 across the day’s seven races. The famous ‘Bells’ themselves will be heading back north to be on show at the historic race from the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art in Newmarket.

Bell and Plate Day has long been championed as Cumbria’s own ‘Derby Day’ and its heritage ensures many thousands will turn out to enjoy the racing, hospitality – and for many – an afternoon away from work.

The social aspect of this famous day is not lost on sports stars, local businesses, tourism chiefs and those who put this magnificent showpiece on.

Molly Dingwall, Carlisle Racecourse’s General Manager, said her team is pulling out all the stops to ensure the course and its facilities are in tip-top condition for the biggest date in Cumbria’s horse racing calendar.

Molly said: “It’s amazing to think we have these trophies at the course that have such history and that we’re still running the same race.

“It really is a great race for the north. It’s incredibly important for a lot of owners, trainers and jockeys and it is on their radar as one they really want to win because of the history.

“It’s great to see the history and to see great action live on the racetrack.”

As part of Bell and Plate, Carlisle Racecourse prides itself on providing hospitality to suit all purses from fine dining in Swifts Restaurant to traditional Cumbrian fare available at a number of trackside outlets.

Molly, who took over the course’s top role in March, said the various food and drinks packages are an important part of the day, while the main focus is on the quality of the racing.

She added: “I want Bell and Plate to be Carlisle’s day because that’s where the history is driven from. I want it to belong to the people and for them to be proud of this amazing event.

“Going to enjoy a day at the races is an aspirational thing for an occasion like this. People see the horses looking in such peak condition, the course looks immaculate and they want to dress up themselves.”

In recent years, the day has been further bolstered with the addition of the £40,000 Eternal Stakes, which attracts the highest level of flat racing’s three-year-old fillies.

Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, said the racecourse was an asset in attracting visitors to the city, boosting the local economy.

She said: “In 2017 more than nine million people visited Carlisle, adding £548m to the city’s economy, a huge increase of 13.8% on 2016 which reflects the high quality of attractions and events Carlisle offers visitors.

“Carlisle Bell and Plate Day, and other race meetings at Carlisle Racecourse, are a popular and important part of the city’s cultural heritage – and a key part of a thriving year-round events calendar attracting high numbers of both tourists and residents.”

The day has long been established as a prime summer networking event for businesses, with many choosing to entertain clients and lure them away from their offices and factories.

One city-based business could use its support of Bell and Plate Day as a barometer of its growth.

Four years ago, in its first year of trading, Rachael Bell Wealth Management took one hospitality table for clients. This year they’ve booked four and will also be sponsoring the day’s final race.

Rachael said: “It is my way of saying thanks to clients. It is just so relaxing. There’s a great atmosphere and the food is always superb.

“There’s only one rule on the day and that is we don’t discuss business.

“Our clients like it because it’s a refined day and some stay over in Carlisle and make a night of it. I’d definitely agree with the description of a northern Derby Day as it’s just such an enjoyable occasion.”

Accountants Saint and Co, who have offices across Cumbria and South West Scotland, will be taking 40 clients to the big day which they agree is good for the local economy.

Partner Stuart Farrer said: “Hospitality normally centres round football and rugby which tend to be male dominated. We always invite couples to the racing so we have a good mix.

“It’s the biggest day of the year for racing in Carlisle so they enjoy it. They come together, and they can wander off and put on a flutter.”

Gates open on Wednesday June 27 at noon. First race is at 2pm and the last at 5pm. Adult tickets are £15 (in advance) or £18 (on the day). Under 18s free entry when accompanied by an adult. Complimentary buses return to the city centre from the course.

Hudson Taylor will support chart-toppers Bastille at their not-to-be-missed headline show at Scarborough Open Air Theatre.

The Irish duo, brothers Harry and Alfie Hudson Taylor, released their ‘Feel It Again’ EP in March – their first new music since their 2015 debut album ‘Singing for Strangers’.

Hudson Taylor will open the show for Bastille at Europe’s largest open air theatre on Saturday July 28. Tickets are on sale at www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com

Building on the success of the debut album, which featured the hits ‘Chasing Rubies’, ‘Battles’ and ‘Weapons’  Hudson Taylor enjoyed a busy 2017.

The multi-talented siblings played to one of the biggest crowds of the weekend at the Electric Picnic festival in September, and their lead-off Irish single ‘Feel It Again’ was one of the biggest national airplay hits.

Barely pausing for breath, 2018 has seen Hudson Taylor play a sold out headline tour of the UK and Europe and a US tour with Gabrielle Aplin.

Now, ahead of their own autumn UK Tour, they join multi-award-winning Bastille – the band behind such huge hits ‘Pompeii’, ‘Good Grief’, ‘Laura Palmer’ and ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ – at Scarborough Open Air Theatre.

Tickets are on sale via www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or in person from Scarborough Open Air Theatre Box Office (01723 818111) and the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau (01723 383636).

Scottish indie rockers Neon Waltz will open the show when Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds make an eagerly-awaited return to Scarborough Open Air Theatre this summer.

Neon Waltz have been named one of the finest new British bands of the year by the likes of Q, NME and Shortlist to name a few… and this is just the beginning.

Hailing from the most northerly point of the UK, the Caithness band honed their majestic sound in an abandoned cottage, where they recorded a set of demos that would form the basis of their debut album ‘Strange Hymns’ out now on Ignition Records.

And now they head to the Yorkshire coast to support Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on Friday July 6.

Tickets are on sale now via www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com

Neon Waltz’s captivating debut album ‘Strange Hymns’ which features songs ‘Dreamers’ and ‘Perfect Frame’ was released last summer.

Described as “a confident, chiming, mature-sounding debut”, ‘Strange Hymns’ was followed by a string of brilliant live shows as the band – Jordan Shearer (Vocals), Darren Coghill (Drums), Kevin Swanson (Guitar), Jamie Swanson (Guitar), Calvin Wilson (Bass) and Liam Whittles (Keyboards) – hit the UK big-time.

Fresh from the success of the No.1 album ‘Who Built the Moon?’ – and sold out tour dates around the world – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds return to Scarborough OAT after a sell-out show at the venue in 2016 as part of the ‘Chasing Yesterday Tour’.

‘Who Built the Moon?’ – featuring the singles ‘It’s A Beautiful World’ and ‘Holy Mountain’ – is the third album from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and was released in November.

Noel and his band are currently playing to sell-out crowds around the world as part of their massive ‘Stranded On The Earth World Tour 2018/19’.

The Scarborough OAT date is presented by Cuffe and Taylor. Director Peter Taylor said: “We are thrilled Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are heading back to Scarborough Open Air Theatre this summer after their brilliant gig here in 2016.

“And we are delighted to today announce Neon Waltz will be joining Noel here for what will be a show no-one will want to miss.

“They are a band that has made the music world sit up and take note and so we are very happy to be bringing them here to Scarborough OAT for what will be another great night.”

Tickets are on sale from www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or from Scarborough Open Air Theatre Box Office (01723 818111) and the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau (01723 383636).

Disco divas Sister Sledge will join pop chart-toppers Steps at their upcoming Scarborough Open Air Theatre date.

Sisters Debbie and Kim will bring a true party vibe as they open the show for Steps when the band play Europe’s largest open air arena on Friday June 29.

Fans of disco are in for a treat as the sisters will be belting out their massive hits including Frankie, We Are Family, Lost in Music and He’s The Greatest Dancer.

Tickets are on sale now from www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.co.uk

Sister Sledge are undisputedly one of the most iconic female groups of all time. Over the years, the group has amassed a string of Gold and Platinum records, accumulating total sales of more than 15m worldwide. Garnering along the way additional Grammy Nominations for Record of the Year and Best R&B Duo or group, Sister Sledge has earned more than a hundred awards and commendations.

The group has performed on some of the most prestigious stages in six of the planet’s seven continents including Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Royal Albert Hall, Japan’s Nakano Sun Plaza, Glastonbury, Dubai’s Burg al Arab, the Zenith in Paris, and the State House in Accra, Ghana. They also performed a rousing set at the final White House Christmas Party of the Clinton administration.

Peter Taylor, director of OAT promoters Cuffe and Taylor, said: “This will be the ultimate party night at Scarborough OAT this summer. We’re already delighted to be bringing Steps to this venue so to now have Sister Sledge supporting is fantastic.

“Disco, divas, chart-topping hits and pop-fuelled fun – that sounds like the recipe for the perfect party night out and it’s exactly what Scarborough OAT will be delivering.”

In a hit-packed career, Steps have scored 14 top 5 singles, sold more than 20 million records and reached Number One with three albums and three singles.

And their dancefloor-filling, feelgood brand of pop – which gave us such monster hits as 5, 6, 7, 8, One For Sorrow, Stomp and Tragedy – is proving just as popular today as it’s ever been.

After announcing their return last year to celebrate their 20th anniversary, the band released ‘Tears On The Dancefloor’ – their first full album of original material since 2000.

Featuring such bombastic tracks as Scared of the Dark, Neon Blue, Dancing With A Broken Heart – together with the wondrous Story of a Heart written by Abba legends Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus – the album reached Number Two in the UK Charts and has been a hit with fans new and old.

Sister Sledge join a fantastic line-up at Scarborough OAT this summer which includes Britney Spears, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Emeli Sandé, Lionel Richie, Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra’s Ibiza Classics, James Arthur, Texas, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Bastille, Il Divo, Gary Barlow, The Script, Stereophonics and Alfie Boe’s special Armed Force Day concert.

Tickets are on sale now from www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or from Scarborough Open Air Theatre Box Office (01723 818111) and the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau (01723 383636).

Carlisle’s reigning champion flat jockey Ben Curtis was doubly delighted on his return to the course with two wins from three rides.

Curtis has been the course’s top jockey twice in the last three seasons and wasted no time in getting back to winning ways.

He rode Little Kim to victory in the Carleton Fillies Novices Stakes before landing his double on board fellow Karl Burke-saddled Kelly’s Dino in The Racing UK Handicap Stakes.

Curtis will be looking to add to his winning record with his one ride in Friday’s meeting – Carlisle’s annual Feel Good Friday. The bumper eight-race card is followed by live music from top tribute act The Mersey Beatles.

After completing his double, Curtis, who has an incredible strike rate at Carlisle of one winner every four rides at the Durdar course, said: “It’s great to be back and great to get a couple of winners.

“They were good quality horses and it’s great for Karl and the team. My record was good here already but that certainly improves it!

“I’m looking forward to being back on Friday and here’s hoping (for another winner).”

Curtis was not the only jockey to land double joy on what was a glorious night bathed in Cumbrian sunshine.

Daniel Tudhope, who currently lies second in the flat jockeys’ championship, rode 9/2 shot Nate The Great (pictured above left) to a two-length victory for Archie Watson before leading French Resistance home in The Watch Racing UK In HD Handicap Stakes for Jed O’Keefe

Tudhope will also be well fancied when he takes charge of Angels in Friday’s biggest prize race, the Fillies Handicap over five furlongs. Tim Easterby’s three-year-old bay has won on her last two outings at Pontefract and Ripon over a slightly longer distance.

Challengers will include William Haggas’ Perfect Thought, racing for the first time since winning in November and Andrew Balding’s Foxtrot Lady, who led home last time out at Chester.

Elsewhere on the card, the Handicap for four-year-olds over 1m 6f will offer a chance to the duo of trainer Michael Dods and jockey Paul Mulrennan with Davy’s Dilemma. The gelding was good enough to be placed on his return at Doncaster last month after being a winner at Hamilton Park on his 2017 finale.

In the same race PJ McDonald, a triple winner last time out at Carlisle, partners Mark Johnston’s Dominating.

McDonald will then be one of four trying to land the 1m 3f Handicap for three-year-olds. His chance is Johnston’s Lucky Deal with Richard Fahey’s Sempre Presto a strong candidate.

Gates opening on Feelgood Friday at 11.30am. First race is at 1.30pm and the last at 5pm followed by live music from The Mersey Beatles. Adult tickets are £15 (in advance) or £18 (on the day). Under 18s free entry when accompanied by an adult.

Two of Britain’s most unique and influential singer-songwriters will join indie greats James at their headline gig at Scarborough Open Air Theatre.

Badly Drawn Boy and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly will open the show on what is set to be a not-to-be-missed night at Europe’s largest open-air theatre on Saturday August 18.

Multi-instrumentalist Badly Drawn Boy has been a creative force for two decades. It was June 2000 when the Mercury Prize-winning album ‘The Hour of the Bewilderbeast’ announced the arrival of the formidable musical talent of artist Damon Gough.

Since then it’s been a curious, wonderful, inimitable, unpredictable career which has delivered such wonders as ‘Once Around the Block’, ‘You Were Right’, ‘Silent Sigh’, ‘Something to Talk About’ and ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change Your Mind’ into the nation’s consciousness and to audiences around the world.

His critically acclaimed soundtrack to the movie ‘About A Boy’ remains a masterpiece.

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – the musical moniker of singer/guitarist Sam Duckworth – is well and truly back in 2018.

Raised equally on electronic, political folksingers, and post-hardcore, Duckworth began Get Cape in his hometown of Southend, Essex, in 2004, and Top 40 singles The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager (Part One), War of the Worlds, I Spy, Find the Time quickly followed.

After releasing material under his own name in recent years, Duckworth reactivated Get Cape earlier this year and released the album ‘Young Adult’ which included the tracks ‘Adults/Always’, ‘Just A Phase’, ‘DNA’ and ‘VHS Forever’.

James – who have sold more than 25 million records worldwide – have released 14 studio albums over the past 30 years which have gained both critical and commercial acclaim.

And the band behind such indie anthems as ‘Sit Down’, ‘Born of Frustration’, ‘She’s A Star’ and ‘Come Home’ make a welcome return to Scarborough OAT after their sensational headline show in 2015.

James have just announced they will be releasing their new album ‘Living In Extraordinary Times’ on August 3. The album is produced by Mercury and Brit Award winner Charlie Andrew (whose previous work includes alt-J and Wolf Alice) and rising star Beni Giles.

‘Living In Extraordinary Times’ follows the release of their recent ‘Better Than That’ EP, the  band’s first new music since their hugely successful 2016 album ‘Girl at the End of the World͛’, which debuted at number two in the UK  album charts, second only to Adele – their highest debut entry in almost 20 years.

James join a fantastic line-up at Scarborough OAT this summer which includes Britney Spears, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Emeli Sandé, Lionel Richie, Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra’s Ibiza Classics, James Arthur, Texas, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Bastille, Il Divo, Gary Barlow, The Script, Steps and Alfie Boe’s special Armed Force Day concert.

Tickets for James’s gig are on sale from www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or from Scarborough Open Air Theatre Box Office (01723 818111) and the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau (01723 383636).

Charities across the North West will benefit from Lancashire’s biggest music festival this summer.

Lytham Festival will attract around 100,000 people for it’s annual musical extravaganza from Wednesday July 18 to Sunday July 22.

And five charities from across the region have been selected to be represented at each of the festival’s headline concerts in the Main Proms Arena on Lytham Green when volunteers will be collecting donations.

The chosen charities are North West Air Ambulance, Brian House Children’s Hospice, Fylde Coast Women’s Aid, Blackpool Carers and Blue Skies Hospitals fund.

Lytham Festival senior event manager Joe Robinson said: “We are delighted to be welcoming five fantastic charities to be part of Lytham Festival 2018.

“We openly welcome applications from charities to partner with the event and it is always very difficult to decide who those partners will be as they are all deserving.

“Brian House and Blackpool Carers have previously been charity partners, so we are very pleased to welcome them back along with charities we haven’t worked with previously.

“All these charities do a fantastic job and are there for everyone at all times when needed so we would encourage our festival-goers to donate to them where possible.”

An army of charity volunteers will be evident throughout the Main Proms Arena on Lytham Green for each headline event in the hope of encouraging festival-goers to donate.

Fylde Coast Women’s Aid will be the charity partner for Steps on Wednesday July 18, Blackpool Carers for Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics on Thursday 19, North West Air Ambulance for George Ezra and Emeli Sandé on Friday 20, Blue Skies for Nile Rodgers & CHIC on Saturday 21 and Brian House for Last Night of the Proms with Il Divo on Sunday 22.

Tina Hibbard, Service Manager for Fylde Coast Women’s Aid, said: “This year Fylde Coast Women’s Aid is celebrating 25 years of supporting victims of domestic abuse across the Fylde Coast.

“Being chosen as the charity partner for the opening night of Lytham Festival is a fabulous way to start our celebrations.  Thank you to Cuffe and Taylor for giving local charities this opportunity. We can’t wait to be a part of the festival!”

Head of Business Development and Funding at Blackpool Carers, Terry Hodkinson, said: “Blackpool Carers is proud to have been chosen again as a partner for Lytham Festival. We look forward to the opportunity to put carers centre stage and highlight their inspirational and affirming stories.”

Lynne Whittaker, Regional Fundraiser for the North West Air Ambulance Charity, said: “We are incredibly delighted to be have been chosen as the charity partner for the Friday night at the amazing Lytham Festival.

“As a charity which is reliant on donations, opportunities like this are vital for us to continue our lifesaving work in the North West.”

Kila Redfearn, Head of Fundraising for Blue Skies Hospitals fund, said: “We are absolutely chuffed to bits to have been chosen as the charity partner for Lytham Festival 2018 on the Saturday night. This will not only raise the profile of the charity, we will be able to raise precious funds, that will enhance patient care in Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre hospitals.

“Cuffe and Taylor have worked so hard over the years to produce such an amazing festival and we are honoured to be a small part of this event, thank you.”

Michelle Lonican, Community and Corporate Team Leader for Brian House, said: “We are absolutely delighted that, once again, Brian House has been chosen as a beneficiary of the hugely popular Lytham Festival.

“The event is well recognised for bringing great music and large crowds to the heart of Lytham, and we are looking forward to joining in and raising vital funds for the Fylde coast’s children’s hospice.”

For more details and to buy tickets for Lytham Festival 2018 go to www.lythamfestival.com

Racing’s speed kings are heading back to Carlisle – and one leading trainer is already eyeing a repeat of his most famous triumph at the course.

Flat racing returns to Cumbria on Monday May 21 with the first fixture of 2018. It will be followed by a season packed with top quality racing, historic meetings and live music events.

Trainer Richard Fahey is certainly relishing a new season at Carlisle and a repeat of his 2017 success.

Fahey triumphed in the coveted Carlisle Bell for the first time in his illustrious career and finished as the course’s top trainer with a stunning final day treble.

Those victories helped his Musley Bank stables to 200 winners in the year, the second time they’ve managed the feat. Now he’s hoping that Cumbria will once again prove a happy hunting ground.

Fahey said: “We Like Carlisle. We’ve sent plenty of horses over the years and this season will be no different.

“You don’t get many hard luck stories at Carlisle. It’s a fair track. By that I mean you can win from the outside, there’s plenty of room to get around.”

That’s exactly what Fahey’s Carnageo did under Paul Hanagan when coming from behind to take the historic Bell in June and justify his 13-2 joint favourite starting price.

Fahey, based at Malton, North Yorkshire, said: “He came from a long way back that day. He got a good gallop on.”

That success at Carlisle’s showcase Flat meeting in June was followed with three winners as the season drew to a close in September.

Fahey trailed Keith Dalgleish going into the Durdar circuit’s final meeting. But wins for Powerful Society, Ocean Voyage and Billy Bond – at 20-1 in the very last race – meant Fahey finished with 10 winners and the track’s top spot for 2017.

This time, the stable’s early season has been blighted by the poor weather meaning Fahey hasn’t seen as much as he would like of some of his charges. Decisions on likely runners for the opening fixture on Monday May 21 have yet to be made.

He added: “We’re behind where we want to be but it looks like we’re in for some dry weather now, so we’ve got some catching up to do.”

Fahey wants to notch a third season of 200-plus winners and ultimately to beat the £4m in prize money secured last year.

He’s also looking for a new name to lead the charge after the retirement of his star thoroughbred, Ribchester.

Sands of Mali could be that horse. Already a winner at Chantilly in April he looks set for a tilt at the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Fahey will join a host of leading trainers at Carlisle’s season debut on May 21.

Dalgleish, pipped for the course’s leading trainer crown in 2017, is a big supporter of the course and landed the 2016 Carlisle Bell with Edgar Balthazar.

And the course’s General Manager Molly Dingwall cannot wait to welcome the jockeys, trainers, horses and punters to the course.

Molly said: “The course is looking great and we have a packed season ahead.

“Carlisle Bell and Cumberland Plate day always throws up some intriguing match-ups and, of course, on the day we will crown the latest winner of a race which has been run since the days of Elizabeth I.

“Both trainers and jockeys love coming to Carlisle and the real test it gives them. We’ve seen some great horses here down the years we are looking forward to see what this season brings.

“Alongside the top racing we also have some amazing social events coming up, so it’s fair to say we cannot wait to welcome everyone here from May 21.”