THE battle to win this season’s Hadwins Motor Group Mares Series adds extra interest to Saturday's race meeting at Carmel.

Three of the top six trainers in the table are in with a chance of claiming the £1,000 stable bonus.

Northern Ireland trainer Stuart Crawford is in pole position after he won the penultimate round of the competition with A Touch Of Sparkle at the July meeting.

But, with 12 points up for grabs for a winner, six for second, three for third and two for any other placing, there is all to play for.

Not only could A Touch Of Sparkle be back to try and complete the double, she may be joined by stable companion Whispering Affair, who would be a powerful second string to Crawford’s bow.

“I am certainly hoping to win the Hadwins bonus and, all being well, will have at least one runner and it is quite possible that they both could run,” said Crawford.

If either turns up, it will be bad news for Shropshire trainer Henry Daly, whose hopes of claiming the bonus prize depend on Crawford having no runners and his own mare Miss Mash going one better than she did behind A Touch Of Sparkle last month.

“Miss Mash may take her chance at Cartmel, but she is also in a mares’ race at Worcester, and I shall have to look closely at that race too before I decide where she goes,” said Daly.

Even if he opts for Worcester, there could still be a thrilling climax to Cartmel’s series as Iain Jardine, lying second, just five points behind the leader, intends to saddle River Icon, who won the first round in May.

“This has been the target for some time,” Jardine said. “I like the idea of winning the bonus and River Icon has been aimed for this race.

“She is in good form, but she won’t want it too soft, so I shall be keeping an eye on the weather.”

The going at Cartmel is good to soft, soft in places in midweek, with a forecast for occasional showers ahead of Saturday.

Saturday’s seven-race card gets under way with the E-Catering Novices Hurdle at 2.15pm, and also features the Totepool Cartmel Cup, which has been won for the last three years by local trainer James Moffatt – on the last two occasions with Captain Brown, who will go for the hat-trick.

Cartmel’s season ends with the August Bank Holiday meeting on Monday, when the first race will be at 2.20pm.