WITH the European Football Championships underway, Redcar specialist Cruyff Turn is a topical choice to return to form at the seaside track tomorrow (Friday).

The Tim Easterby-trained gelding – named after an iconic move by one of Europe’s greatest ever footballers – has won on his last three visits to Redcar.

He goes to post for the day’s feature race, the In Loving Memory of Michael Wood Handicap, five pounds below his last winning mark, and looked to be coming to the boil with a promising third at Nottingham last time.

David Allan, one of the most successful jockeys at Redcar in recent season, will give the seven-year-old plenty of assistance from the saddle.

Indeed, Easterby could be the trainer to follow at Redcar’s Friday meeting, which is an attractive precursor to Ladies’ Day on Saturday.

The fixture starts with the Racing TV Free Trial Handicap and the Malton maestro will again fancy his chances that Sunny Orange can defy a five-pound penalty. The gelding scored in fine style at Beverley last time, stretching clear inside the final furlong, and the winning jockey that day, Duran Fentiman, retains the ride.

In the following Free Racing TV At racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap, Easterby saddles Kode Secret, who followed up a promising second to stablemate Georgie Wooster at Redcar in May by staying on well to win at Carlisle last time. He can defy a penalty with David Allan riding.

The big guns are out for the Celebrate The Life of Joe Newton Novice Stakes with William Haggas saddling recent Leicester debut winner Castle Cove, and Sir Michael Stoute sending James Webb north after showing promise to be runner-up at Chepstow on his second start.

However, Kevin Ryan is having a fine season and his Midnite Storm has shown plenty of promise, finishing third at Ascot and second at York on his last two runs, and he should make sure the southern raiders don’t have it all their own way.

Karl Burke had a Group 2 success at Royal Ascot this week when Leovanni won the Queen Mary Stakes, and the Middleham trainer is taken to strike in much calmer waters with The Hun in the Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Handicap.

The gelding kept on well to be second to George Boughey’s hot favourite, Fouroneohfever, at Chester on his last start when equipped with first-time blinkers and has the headgear on again.

Split The Profit, trained by Mike Murphy and Michael Keady, travels from Bedfordshire for the Come Racing On Ladies’ Day Tomorrow Maiden Handicap.

A close second at Windsor last time, the Profitable gelding can make the eight hour round-trip pay, with seven-pound claimer Sorcha Woods retaining the ride.