On the third and final day of Newcastle’s Northumberland Plate Festival, Declan Rix has a quartet of horses to follow live on Sky Sports Racing.
CITY HOUSE
1.35 – Jenningsbet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+) – 6f
Much focus in the James Fanshawe yard this weekend will be on Irish Derby-bound Ambiente Friendly, but CITY HOUSE (17/2) may kick off Northumberland Plate Day with a win before Sunday’s big race at the Curragh.
The well-bred son of Night Of Thunder is still unexposed after seven runs and while it’s maybe too soon to pigeonhole him, he has the makings of an all-weather specialist on what we have seen of him so far in his career.
City House has undoubtedly showed his best form on an artificial surface to date and bounced back to form at Kempton 17 days ago after two lacklustre efforts on turf. His closing style should be suited to Newcastle’s track in a race that has plenty of pace on so here’s hoping his widest-of-all-draw in 13 doesn’t prove to be an inconvenience.
ALBASHEER
2.04 – Jenningsbet Chipchase Stakes (Group 3) (3yo+) – 6f
A field of 11 go forward for this Group 3 6f sprint and it is a seriously competitive contest; should you find the winner, it will be rewarding, as so many appear to have chances.
The old boy Kinross returns after a 252-day break, with previous all-weather and course experience in the bag; he is respected, but at a bigger price, the Newcastle-loving ALBASHEER (10/1) is worth chancing to improve on his good course record.
Archie Watson’s inmate has form figures of 3117 here and that seventh was a run where he hit the gates too well, failing to get cover and over-raced. To be fair, he has shown himself to be tactically versatile in the past, but this track is often best ridden with plenty of cover and a good lead.
If Sky Sports Racing Ambassador Hollie Doyle can get the six-year-old to miss the gates and come with a late flourish, the previous pace he has shown over 5f will stand him well in a race that may not be run at a strong gallop.
Drawn bang in the middle in stall five, it gives Doyle options of following the best pace, depending on where the race may develop.
GRAND PROVIDENCE
3.10 – Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+) – 2m56y
Just the 20 runners to deal with in this Heritage Handicap, with €81,000 going the way of the winner. There doesn’t appear to be an out-and-out front-runner in here, but with the first bend coming up relatively quick, I envisage a strong opening half-mile before the pace steadies.
Proper hold-up horses may have a bit on as they turn for home if this scenario plays out so horses who race prominently hopefully get the perfect trip. GRAND PROVIDENCE (9/1) never settles too far from the gallop so as long as she gets away on terms from stall 15, she holds strong each-way claims.
She missed the gates in her last run in the Chester Cup, and was then rushed up to get a good early position. That, along with the buzz of the big crowd, saw her just over-race for too long in a competitive handicap. To stick around and finish a close-up fifth under those circumstances was a big effort.
The ground on Chester Cup Day was likely quicker than ideal for this big filly too, so Newcastle’s kinder all-weather surface will suit her better, and she is already a winner on artificials at Kempton.
SOLENT GATEWAY
3.10 – Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+) – 2m56y
SOLENT GATEWAY was third to Trueshan off 90 in this race two years ago and returns off the same mark, 90. The son of Awtaad ran some big races off higher ratings last season, and while he started 2024 slowly, he has been running himself into form.
His latest second in unsuitably soft ground at Haydock suggests he is now in top order. Trying to give 6lb to subsequent Ascot Stakes runner-up Divine Comedy is now looking an impossible task, but Hugo Palmer’s inmate was the only horse to give the winner any sort of race, for all he was no match for him late on.
Sure, he is vulnerable to less exposed runners in this, but at 25/1, with good course and distance form in the book, Solent Gateway is worth backing each-way on the back of his latest effort.
