“Amazing Monday” is with us once more.

Carlisle Racecourse is unique in that it combines its Ladies Day with the only seven-race programme in the Turf calendar where all the races are restricted to professional and amateur female Jockeys.

Many courses across Britain and Ireland stage individual contests specially for female riders but Carlisle is the one track to put on a complete fixture for the ladies.

Our local venue, to my knowledge, has never taken out a patent to maintain this status and it is remarkable considering the huge popularity of the annual occasion that Carlisle’s example has not been copied elsewhere.

Since its inception, #AmazingMonday has become one of Cumbria’s major social gatherings and, granted fair weather, the 2017 renewal will be no exception.

Gates will be opening around 2.30pm and the entertainment concludes after the 8.30pm race with the Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley hosting The Party in the Paddock.

On course, a major turnout of the country’s top female Jockeys, both amateur and professional, are expected to arrive for the meeting. It is hoped that Josephine Gordon, the 2016 champion apprentice now enjoying a highly successful association with Hugo Palmer and other leading Newmarket trainers, will be again making the trip northwards.

Josephine was in attendance last year when she rode a winner but it still remains to be seen if her crowded commitments will allow her to be present this Monday.

Britain’s most famous and successful professional female rider Hayley Turner is officially “retired” but she has made several winning comebacks this summer, when her media engagements have left her available, and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she also could be at Carlisle.

Two near certainties from the paid ranks to grace #AmazingMonday with their presence will be Rachel Richardson and, happily, Sammy Jo Bell, now fully fit after her horror unseating at Carlisle last summer, and back riding with renewed confidence among the winners again.

Carol Bartley and Joanna Mason, two experienced and currently in-form amateurs will have fancied mounts at Carlisle.

Carol in particular needs to be monitored. As Carol Williams, married to the successful lightweight Jockey Tyrone at the time, she was champion lady amateur for three consecutive seasons.

Attached to Jim Goldie’s Uplawmoor stable for the past decade, Carol had a serious paddock tumble which left her with severe arm injuries that threatened to end her riding career.

Luckily this has not proved to be the case and this season Carol has been riding with renewed confidence and success.

Over the past 10 days, Carol has landed winners at Newcastle and Beverley. She is back at her best.

Joanna Mason, granddaughter of veteran trainer Mick Easterby, has been consistently one of the most successful and “go to” amateurs of modern times.

Tactically sound and a powerful horsewoman, her mounts are rarely out of the frame and she too had a winner at Beverley earlier this week.

Outstanding among the younger brigade are Donald McCain’s two teenage daughters – with 16-year-old Ella already a stylish winner at Carlisle.

Young and old have to be respected but Cumbrian racegoers can anticipate the probable rewarding return to form of Emma Sayer and Helen Cuthbert.

Emma is currently on holiday from her day job as a PE teacher in Penrith. She returned to the amateur ranks last summer and over the past fortnight Emma has partnered Beeno to a clearcut win at Cartmel. Last Saturday she was in action on the flat for Richard Fahey in the valuable lasies race at Ascot.

At the same time, last year Emma carried off the £20,000 cash bonus offered by Jockey Club Racecourses North West for any rider who was to ride a winner at Carlisle Ladies Night, and followed up by partnering the winner of Haydock’s Betfred Ladies Trophy later in the week.

The prize was to be used to help develop the career of the winning rider and will be on offer again this season.

Helen Cuthbert is widely acclaimed as one of the most accomplished horsewomen on the northern circuit.

She has gained this reputation despite race-riding less frequently than many of her contempories – often faced with having to get the very best out of horses determined to do their best but lacking in star quality.

Helen has ridden winners and placed horses at Carlisle’s Ladies Night in the past and she could well kick-off this time round with a winner in the opener.

The majority of Monday’s card is sponsored by costabingo.com and the opening 5f contest could be a repeat of an event played out at Ayr in June between Perfect Words and Red Forever.

Helen Cuthbert had Red Forever, trained by Tommy (her father) for Joyce (her mother) sharply into his stride and streaking down the stands rails, and made a brave attempt to hold all their rivals at bay.

Sadly for the Cuthberts, Becky Smith on the favourite Perfect Words, pounced in the final half furlong to gain the verdict.

It was Red Forever’s first race of the summer. Formerly a perennial loser for Alan Berry, he has thrived since moving to the Cuthberts. “He has always been quick and now he has settled and put on condition, we think he can start winning,” says Helen.

The Cuthberts are not without a chance of taking the 6.00 with Yair Hill.

The gelding is very well handicapped but he tends to be content with a place in the frame rather than striving to score outright.

In the circumstances, the Tim Easterby-trained duo of Kenny The Captain and Honeysucklelil are preferred for the winner’s berth

Dianne Sayer sprung a 20/1 surprise with the lightly raced Redarna at Ayr last Monday.

“We gave him his first run over five furlongs at Carlisle and he ran well, even though it proved a little short for him,” reported Emma. “The longer trip and the cut in the ground suited him better at Ayr. I would like to find a similar amateur riders race for him.”

That opportunity could have come in Carlisle’s 6f handicap at 7.00. Emma has a possible follow up success in the 2m handicap at 8.00.

Her mother has Bailry’s Concerto engaged here.

The stable’s 3m chaser was only just beaten at Perth on Tuesday and, though he is better known for his exploits over fences, he finished third in his last outing on the flat and that was over two miles at Carlisle.

Carol Bartley and Sammy Jo Bell will also be fancying their chances of success.

Sammy has the mount on Chiswick Bey in the 7.30 and this course winner is on a favourable mark.

Carol Bartley rides Thornton Care for Iain Jardine in the final race and now that the gelding has learnt to settle his winning turn is just around the corner.