Thursday kicks off Newcastle's three-day Northumberland Plate Festival (live on Sky Sports Racing) where Declan Rix follows a quartet of horses.
trypan
2.00 – JenningsBet at Scunthorpe Handicap
The race kicks off the three-day Northumberland Plate Festival – Sky Sports Racing Live Stream – could prove tactical enough, with only six runners declared and only the Gulf Legend running at a steady rate recently.
The Charlie Johnston-trained Attila The Honey is unlikely to be far behind, but it is hoped this potential set-up will not hinder the chances of Tryfan, who last time stayed well over 12 furlongs.
Local boy Brian Ellison (trainer) has not started his 2024 flat turf campaign in order, but June has seen a stable renaissance with the horses in the yard in better positions, whatever the reason. That should please Ellison as he heads into one of his favorite conferences of the year.
In this son of Nathaniel, the yard can be opened with Tryfan, a physically impressive horse making his first start in handicap company. It will also be my second start in all weather here in Newcastle. Tryfan performed well on his debut for the youth last season, which is still arguably the best effort of his three-game career.
His efforts on grass this season weren't bad either. Especially considering its stable form. Tryfan looked better than the distance he lost at Beverley last April. He stumbled midway through the race and missed his chance at the home bend, having finished runner-up at Thirsk 40 days earlier. It keeps running.
If that's not a sign that he's going down the wrong path mentally or is developing into a tricky ride, he looks like a player in this tricky event in a small field.
What is she doing?
2.30 – JenningsBet at Boroughbridge Limited Maiden Stakes
Not much form can be taken from these 10 juvenile races, but there are few better two-year-old trainers in Britain than Archie Watson and it will be interesting to see him send What's She At from Upper Lambourn to Newcastle. Base.
Watson has a 21% hit rate when sending youngsters to this track, which is one of the highest of any course in the UK and probably the most robust given the size of the data set (253 riders). His young horses generally know their job, so it’s worth following What’s She At here.
Arizona's What's She At, a first-season sire we're still learning about, is out of Fifer, who has already thrown two fine horses in her broodmare career in Enzemble and Udododontu. The former won all-weather and Fifer himself comes from a family that won many races on artificial surfaces.
Arizona, from the No Nay Never and Scat Daddy lines, should be able to produce horses that can handle all-weather surfaces, but overall the market is likely to be the best guide for this €8,000 purchase.
Bedadi
3.00 – JenningsBet in Boroughbridge Restricted Maiden Stakes
Division 2 of the above junior competition is not the strongest looking race on paper. Experience is often key for these young horses, so Wedadi will be hoping to use his horse well for the Charlie Johnston and Joe Fanning combo.
Fanning may need to be at his best considering the expected headwind at Newcastle on Thursday. I think he would love the lead and cover. As on his debut, Wedadi showed outstanding professionalism in his gates and good early pace to lead his Leicester rivals.
In a stronger race than this one, she was a significant drifter in the market, so she beat most of the field by three outs before steadily weakening, and looked better than she did by a distance.
On either side of Wedadi's pedigree she should be at home on the yard's artificial surface, where she has been quite the winner.
bay bridge
3.35 – Coopers Marquees Novice Stakes
The Wathnan Racing team hopes to continue a very successful Royal Ascot with Veydari.
The son of first-season sire Hello Youmzain went 2/1f on debut at Haydock 21 days ago but perhaps did a little too much on the front end in a headwind. Richard Fahey's inmate was fresh and fit and hopefully he can get a bit better with that experience under his belt.
He faces an expected headwind again at Newcastle on Thursday, so he hopes jockey Jack Garrity can get a little better than he did on debut and gain some cover as well.
He was an above average novice on his debut at Haydock and so far the race had gone well enough with three horses running on his next start.
