Ante-post favourite Post Impressionist is among 19 declared for the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate run over two-miles at Gosforth Park on Saturday.
Trainer William Haggas has never won the “Pitmen’s Derby” before but will be hoping his unexposed four-year-old can change that in a contest worth £150,000 this year.
Favourites have a less than sparkling record in this event with just six obliging since 2000. The Deborah Faulkner-trained Golden Rules looks to have been trained specifically for this after winning on debut for the Monmouthshire-based yard in March. Calling The Wind has to be considered a major player if he can reproduce the form he showed when runner-up at Royal Ascot last week.
Chester Cup runner-up & 2022 Northumberland Vase hero Zoffee is also set to make a quick reappearance from the Royal meeting after he was declared by Hugo Palmer along with the 107-rated Rajinsky who is the best horse in this race on official ratings.
Dual course winner Second Slip was declared by James Fanshawe but is a non-runner.
Sir Mark Prescott is currently operating at a whopping 40% strike-rate and sends just the one runner to Gosforth Park on Saturday in the form of Omniscient.
This race is one of the few Saturday handicaps Ian Williams is yet to have won, and he will rely on former Godolphin inmate Law Of The Sea who has shown promise in each of his three starts since joining the yard.
Horn blows in the Vase
On the undercard, the Jenningsbet Northumberland Vase is worth almost £40,000 to the winner.
The in-form Blow Your Horn, recent course winner Appier and the unexposed Hadrianus are among 14 declarations for the consolation race to the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate.
There is also group action to look forward to this Saturday with the Jenningsbet Chipchase Stakes set to take place at 12:55pm over six-furlongs. Judicial is aiming to join Tedburrow in becoming a two-time winner of this race, with dual Group winner Brad The Brief and Buckingham Palace Stakes winner Witch Hunter among 8 confirmed runners for the £70,000 Group Three.
Racing is due to start earlier than normal at 12:20pm due to broadcast commitments because of International Football being shown on ITV1 with the final race scheduled for 4:25pm. Gates open at 10:30am and the going is currently described as Standard To Slow.
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