Preview and tips for big races: Northumberland Plate in Newcastle

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We’ve got tips, opinions from connections and key video recaps for the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate in Newcastle.

3.10 Newcastle – Northumberland Plate Points

ONE-MOOTHOPERATOR – 3.10 Andrew Asquith

Onesmoothoperator regularly visits Newcastle and he also performs exceptionally well on this course; his last victory came in the diverted November Handicap in November. He also caught the eye last time out when second in a steady race at Southwell, making up a lot of ground in the closing stages, and that form was boosted when the third, Pledgeofallegiance, won at Royal Ascot last week. The return to this venue will suit him well and in a race that has to be run his way he should have a great chance from just £1 up.

TOO FRIENDLY (EW) – Ben Linfoot

Over-enthusiastic in the Chester Cup when it was the subject of a huge gamble, but he has since been in a different headgear for a little shorter and this Test now looks ideal with the cheekpieces back on.

SPARTAN ARMY – David Ord

He was a revelation who switched to artificial services earlier this year and SPARTAN ARMY can claim his biggest success to date.

He wasn’t suited for a tactical race at this track two runs ago and did better than the finishing position suggests when returning fifth on grass at Newbury last time. He is only four pounds heavier than when he won at Lingfield in March and trainer Alan King has a good record in this race.

Tenseform Top Rated

ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (nominal 1 pound clear)

Time Form Tempo Map

Pace prediction: Even

Sign bias: n/a

Specific pacing tip: This race will likely be run at a somewhat slower pace, which will reduce the chances of ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) and perhaps also those of SPARTAN ARMY (IRE).

Individual price tip: ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) reached an in-running low below half of his starting Betfair SP when he was last beaten.

What the connections say

Hollie Doyle has the chance to win a second Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate in three years in Newcastle on Saturday after taking the ride on the likely favourite Trooper Bisdee.

The record-breaking jockey was given a warm welcome by the loyal fans at Gosforth Park two years ago after her long-time star rider Trueshan produced a stunning performance to win the Pitmen’s Derby and she will now be hoping to repeat the feat when she returns to the North East this weekend.

Trooper Bisdee is a typical Sir Mark Prescott improver, winning six of his nine starts since entering the handicap arena – and he is four in five since going two miles and beyond. He has a £5 penalty after his latest stunt at Pontefract on Sunday and with Prescott’s stable jockey Luke Morris in action at the Curragh, Doyle is delighted to have got the call-up.

“It’s great to be riding for Sir Mark, we all know how good a trainer he is. He had a Royal Ascot winner last week (Pledgeofallegiance in the Ascot Stakes) and his horses are flying,” she said.

“Trooper Bisdee looks quite progressive and has such a good record. Sir Mark is such a clever goalkeeper and you would imagine that this was a target and he wouldn’t have much weight to carry (8st 6lb). You just hope that his recent form on artificial turf can translate to really all weather conditions.

“It would be great to win the race again. You can never forget Trueshan’s weight-bearing performance but it’s good to get a good ride and hopefully I can do it again.”

Hugo Palmer saddles Chester Cup winner Coffee and his talented stablemate Solent Gateway. The stalwart Zoffee won the Northumberland Vase over track and distance a few years ago, while Solent Gateway was beaten less than two lengths to third by Trueshan in the Plate.

Palmer, who won gold with Caravan Of Hope in 2020, told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s a race we always target and I’m delighted to have won it before, although maddeningly it was in the Covid year and it was only worth £25,000 to the winner. This year, thankfully, it’s considerably more.

‘I’m as happy with Zoffee now as I was when I went to Chester. He looks absolutely fantastic, he’s proven himself on the surface, but it’s a 20-rider handicap and he should be fine. He’s up 4lb for Chester so he’ll need to improve, but he was very competitive in last year’s Chester Cup at 93 (second) so we’ve only got another pound to really improve.

“Solent Gateway ran poorly in the Chester Cup but he ran very well in a race he won last year when he finished second at Haydock two weeks later. I think that gave him more confidence. He has finished third earlier in this race and is in good all-weather form, so I’m hoping for a big run from him too.”

Michael Bell has high expectations of Duke of Oxfordwho only found Prydwen too strong in the All-Weather Championships Marathon in Newcastle on Good Friday, but was unable to land a blow in the Chester Cup last time out. Bell expects a better performance, but admits that a high turnout in box 20 is a concern.

“He is doing very well, but we are a bit disappointed because he is in 20, which is not ideal. He has a very good track record so we will need a bit of luck in the draw,” said the Newmarket handler. “When he came second there on Finals Day at the end of March, that was his second time at the track and he did it last time too, so his season was about going to Chester and then here. Unfortunately we were drawn into the car park at Chester and unfortunately we are drawn into the car park again!

“Chester is of course a completely different story when you are positioned high and I think this is achievable, but it will take a bit of tactical insight from Tyler (Heard) to determine whether we go forward and respond or whether we drop back.

“It’s not a complete doom and gloom but you’d probably rather be drawn into the thick of it. He’s still being raced relatively lightly and if he’s running behind Prydwen he looks well handicapped so he should certainly be one of the market leaders.”