Hi all,
Here's a quick delve into the best of Friday's action at Newcastle.
The Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate (3:15) is Saturday’s big betting race in Britain, with a full field of 20 declared and £81,000 on offer to the winner. It headlines Newcastle’s card, which also features the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes (2:10).
ITV Racing will be showing the first five races from Newcastle, along with three more from York in the afternoon.
However, the richest race on Saturday isn’t in Britain but across the Irish Sea at the Curragh. The Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes (3:30) has €177,000 to the winner and pits Kalpana, last year’s Champion Fillies & Mares winner at Ascot and a current Arc fancy, against the 3-year-old Whirl.
Kalpana was a close-up third behind Los Angeles in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on her reappearance here last month. She’s 6/5 favourite with the sponsors, but does need to give 12lb to Whirl, who ran a mighty race to finish runner-up in the Oaks. That weight concession makes it an interesting clash of the generations, but Kalpana’s class might see her through, even if 1m 4f is likely her optimum distance.
Looking ahead to Sunday, we’ve got the Group 1 Irish Derby (4:10) at the Curragh and the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud across the Channel, giving us more top-level action to round off the weekend.
Friday Racing
Things heat up this evening. It’s Day 1 of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh. At Newcastle, the card features the Group 3 Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes (7:05) and the always-competitive Gosforth Park Cup (7:35).
Diamond Rain should take all the beating in the Hoppings if she handles the surface. She bounced back to winning ways in a Listed race at Haydock last month and is still improving. If she can transfer her turf form to the all-weather, she’ll be hard to beat.
Charlotte’s Web, a C&D winner, ran a career best when a ½ length 3rd of 14 over C&D on All-Weather Finals Day. An improver in handicap company on the synthetic surface she’s worth her place in the line-up and is a solid each-way alternative to the favourite.
In the Gosforth Park Cup, last year’s winner Bergerac is back to retain his crown. Now 3lb higher than 12 months ago. He carries a 4lb penalty for a win at Hamilton 12 days ago but clearly loves the track and can make a bold bid to follow up last year’s success.
Good luck with your Friday bets,
John