Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece you can read my thoughts on the best of Saturday’s action on.
The Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate (2.05) at Newcastle is Saturday’s betting highlight. Trueshan defied a huge weight to win last year’s renewal. There’s no Trueshan in this year’s line-up but the race has a competitive look with 19 set to meet the starter.
Besides the big betting race there’s a good undercard which includes the Plate consolation race the Northumberland Vase (1.30) and the Group 3 JenningsBet Chipchase Stakes (12:55).
There’s Group 1 action at the Curragh where its day two of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival. Nine fillies & mares have been declared for the Pretty Polly Stakes (3:25). An eight race card also includes a Group 2 & Group 3 contest and three big field handicaps.
ITV are covering four races from Newcastle and three from Newmarket on a seven race programme on Saturday afternoon.
It’s an early start for today’s racing (12:20) due to the Women’s Football International that ITV are covering this afternoon.
I’m still under the weather with a chest infection and my concentration levels are not great so today’s preview isn’t as long as usual for a Saturday.
Newcastle
12:20 – JenningsBet Festival Handicap (Class 2) – 6f
You can draw a line through Lethal Levi’s Wokingham Handicap effort when he was hampered 2f out, and he’s better judged on last month’s Neck 2nd of 21 to Bielsa at York. Makes his all-weather debut here and if he’s effective on the surface won’t be far away. Raatea won this race 12 months ago from 5lb lower and was back to winning ways at Haydock three weeks ago. Nudged up 3lb but looks to have a good chance of following up last year's success.
12:55 – JenningsBet Chipchase Stakes (Group 3) – 6f
Brad The Brief is best of the eight runners on Official Ratings. Improved for the switch to Hugo Palmer won twice in spring of last year including a Group 2 at the Curragh last May. Never competitive in the Group 1 Champions Sprint on his only other start at the end of last season. Three from four on seasonal return and claims if back to last season’s best.
Judicial might be an 11-year-old but he showed there was fire in the old boy’s belly when winning a Conditions race at Beverley last September. Well beaten in last year’s race but he won the 2020 renewal. Odds of 12/1 look fair enough to me for a yard among the winners.
1:30 – JenningsBet Northumberland Vase Handicap (Consolation Race For The Northumberland Plate) (Class 2) – 2m ½ f
Blow Your Horn completed a hat trick with a comfortable success at Pontefract 6 days ago. Has a 7lb penalty for his latest win. However, if this doesn’t come to quick, has a big chance of the four timer.
Citizen General two from three at the course posted a career best on RPR’s when a 1 ¾ length 2nd of 9 to one of today’s rivals Appier at Lingfield (1m 4f) last month. He gets a 5lb pull in the weights with the winner today. Could be capable of further progress stepped up to 2m with first time cheekpieces applied.
Mostly Sunny gained a C&D success last November and was back to form last time when a ¾-length 2nd of 7 at Goodwood (2m) 20 days ago. The 4-year-old is just 1lb above his last winning mark. Must respected for a yard 3-9 with its runners in the past 14 days.
2:05 – JenningsBet Northumberland Plate Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 2m ½ f
I covered the race in Wednesday’s preview so no need to return to it in any detail here. It looks a competitive renewal of the plate. Post Impressionist & Nathanael Greene give William Haggas a strong hand in the race. The former has been a bit weak in the ante post betting but the fact that Tom Marquand was booked for the ride on Monday is enough to swing it for me. Both Adjuvant and Golden Rules are going the right way and are very much in the mix. Zoffee and Law Of the Sea are in form and have to be respected after their recent runs at Royal Ascot. Mountain Road is interesting back on the all-weather and seems likely to get the strong pace he needs.
Saturday Selection:
Newcastle
12:55 – Judicial – 12/1 & bigger.
ITV are covering seven races from the Curragh, Cartmel & Uttoxeter on Sunday afternoon. The highlight being the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (3:40). I intend to do a Sunday column infection permitting to look at the best of the action on ITV.
Good luck with your Saturday bets.
John
Trends list for the Northumberland Plate produced the winner @ 14/1, turned into a large list but it did include First, second & Fourth