It’s Northumberland Plate day from Newcastle! Watch every race from Gosforth Park live on Sky Sports Racing from 1.40pm.
3.15 Newcastle – Circus Of Rome looks to dethrone Spirit Mixer in Plate
Saturday’s feature race is the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate Handicap at Newcastle where Circus Of Rome will head the betting.
Richard Hughes’ four-year-old has had this as his key target since winning at the track in August and must be feared under Finley Marsh. The trip is a little question mark, but his trainer reports him to be peaking for the big day, and he remains capable of better.
Ride The Thunder is an interesting contender for the Roger Varian team. Having won a Nottingham maiden, he produced several pieces of useful form and is expected to improve on his third behind Valiancy last month.
Plenty have each-way chances including last year’s one-two Spirit Mixer and Dancing In Paris, while Team Player and Moon Over Miami should be respected.
2.10 Newcastle – Marvelman pursues Chipchase crown
Classy sprinters lock horns in the Group Three Chipchase Stakes including Marvelman and Diligent Harry.
Diligent Harry plundered this prize last season when outpointing Annaf by a neck and he should be in the mix again after his excellent fourth in the Group Two Minster Stakes.
Diligent Harry (left) won the Chipchase Stakes last term
Andrew Balding’s Marvelman shoulders a 5lb penalty having claimed the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster in September. Not seen since finishing down the field in Saudi Arabia, he will need to be at his best if he is to strike on this return.
Wiltshire, Poet Master and Symbol Of Honour all enter calculations in an open contest.
3.33 Chester – Copacabana Sands and Circe do battle
A deep renewal of the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes sees Copacabana Sands and Circe do battle at Chester.
Richard Hannon’s Circe saw off the reopposing Magic Basma to land the Listed Queen Of Scots British EBF Fillies’ Stakes at Musselburgh and will be fancied to go close despite the penalty.
Copacabana Sands is a big threat on her second start for the Balding yard. A Group Three winner when trained by Michael O’Callaghan, she made only a satisfactory return when beaten at Lingfield and should be sharper here.
The prolific Forty Years On and Bellarchi head a long list of alternatives.
Best of the rest
The Newcastle card begins with the 1.40pm Education Network Handicap, which sees Supido take on 13 rivals as he looks to get back to winning ways for Ian Williams.
El Nay goes in search of a first victory in Chester’s Absolut Tabasco Novice Stakes at 2.32pm, having enjoyed a luckless run for Shadwell and Richard Hannon to date. He arguably should have won at Leicester when last seen but was headed right at the last by Electric Dreams.
Despite recent inconsistencies, Charging Thunder is likely to be popular with bettors for the 2.40pm Jenningsbet Festival Northumberland Vase Handicap. Now 4lb below his last winning mark, James Owen’s charge has every chance here but will be wary of Cesarewitch winner Alphonse Le Grande and recent success story Arc Zoosve.
Also on the card, Power Fizz and Al Najashi look obvious contenders for the Jenningsbet Over 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap before attention switches elsewhere.
At Chepstow, Pageant Girl has strong claims in first-time cheekpieces in the Hayleys Race To Happily Ever After Restricted Novice Stakes, while Savvy Disko should have more to offer in Lingfield’s Chris, Aleah And Ellanna Family Day Out Handicap, having shed his maiden tag at the track the last day. Sticking with Lingfield, Wathnan Racing field Terminology in the 7.55pm Getaway To Cyprus EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
Stateside, 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty takes on Magnitude in a hot-looking Stephen Foster Stakes at 11.14pm.
