Tips for weekend racing at Newcastle and York including Northumberland Plate

Who’s towards the top of your shortlist for the Northumberland Plate?

David Ord: He's not been missed but Circus Of Rome looks to have been campaigned with this race in mind. Not far behind ante-post market leader Valiancy at Haydock last year over a mile and six, Circus Of Rome's two runs this season have been over 10 furlongs and a mile and, not surprisingly, he's cut little ice. This step back up in distance at a track where he achieved his last success seems certain to suit and he can run a mighty race.

Nic Doggett: I think last year’s winner Spirit Mixer has been nicely teed up for a strong defence, catching the eye in third on his reappearance and likely to appreciate the return to the all-weather here, but it’s Team Player – at half his age – who tops my shortlist. The Without Parole gelding progressed throughout last season for Gemma Tutty and has continued in that vein since joining new connections over the winter, looking better than ever for the application of a tongue-tie/being stepped up in trip. Although he’s won there, I’m not sure the Roodee is the ideal course for this strong stayer given his running style, so his fifth-placed effort from off the pace in the Chester Cup last month can be upgraded. He looks a bet around 12/1.

Ian Ogg: Bahadur takes the eye with William Buick up despite his Ascot Stakes no show but I can't resist a dart at Blazeon Five at a big price. She's no Trueshan but she did hit a rich seam of form at the backend of last season, winning three on the bounce before coming unstuck over C&D in January. Never competitive from off the pace on that occasion, that run style has been effective in recent renewals of this race and the likelihood of a stronger tempo for her to aim it can see her more competitive. She made a perfectly sound return in April and her trainer again advertised his talents - if any were needed - with a winner and a fourth at Royal Ascot from just four runners.

The Chipchase looks a wide-open heat – any runners catching your eye at this stage?

David Ord: I think Ferrous looks a big price. He was third in the race last season when not quite at his best but is an all-weather specialist who sat too handy in a handicap here last time. He needs a strong pace to aim at as he can be a little keen but granted that is capable of going close again in a race win which plenty have something to prove.

Nic Doggett: Symbol Of Honour has generally been banging his head against some better horses in Group 1s since winning the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last May, but should be more at home in this company.

The form of his run in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint in February – where he travelled well but had to wait for a clear run through at a crucial time - has received several form boosts since, most notably from the winner Native Approach, who followed up in the Al Quoz Sprint, and fifth Rayevka, who only found Mission Central a head too good in last week’s King Charles III Stakes.

He still holds an ambitious July Cup entry, but could head there on a high if winning this.

Ian Ogg: William Haggas' race record puts Wiltshire into the conversation but there's limited appeal in his price so I will chance Poet Master. It's his first run over six furlongs and first on an artificial surface so he's not exactly a solid pick but he has always raced freely over seven furlongs and being given his head over this stiff six could prove to be just the ticket. His form over the longer trip puts him firmly in the picture, there's speed on the distaff side of his page and this change in direction, is at worst, an experiment well worth trying given his limitations and lack of options.

Huge crowds at York on Saturday – will they be cheering Never So Brave to victory in the Criterium?

David Ord: I wouldn’t be in a rush to back him just yet. He’s been a tad underwhelming in two runs so far this season, the bet365 Mile on his return and then the Tattenham Corner Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day. Maybe the deteriorating ground was to blame for the latter, but he’ll need to be significantly better than in those two runs to win on Saturday – especially with Saber Strike turning up. He looked a colt of rich potential when winning at Newmarket in May and was very strong in the market for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot but unable to land a telling blow from an unfavoured part of the track. That was a strange race and a performance I’m prepared to put a line through. It’s interesting that connections are turning him out again so quickly and he can keep the favourite honest.

Nic Doggett: He’s certainly the class act, and potentially a level above these having landed the (newly-crowned) Group 1 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes here in August, and it’s a good bit of placing by connections because he doesn’t carry a penalty for that win. His slow starts have become a worry, and this really isn’t the right course to be giving away lengths at the start, but with no Audience in the field I can’t see an obvious front-runner – unless Qirat returns to the tactics that served him so well when winning the Sussex - so it’s unlikely that he will get too far adrift even if he does miss the break a bit.

Ian Ogg: I thought Qirat was interesting at Epsom with the expectation that he could get loose on the front but he was never a factor and I can't see a tongue tie making the difference unless, as Nic says, connections resort to front-running; in Australia connections have to advise stewards of a change of tactics before the race and, as a punter, I can see the sense in that. Dave makes the case for Sabre Strike but that run raises a lot of questions and Never So Brave has fewer to answer.

Give us one other horse on your weekend radar?

David Ord: I’m very sweet on Hallo Spaceboy in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash at York. He cruised through the race at Ascot last time (replay below) and looked set for a comfortable win when quickening on a furlong out to be run down by Secret Santa. He pulled miles clear of the rest and a five pounds rise won’t prevent another bold show.

Nic Doggett: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap (14:25) looks the perfect race for the Richard Hughes-trained Our Cody who has caught my eye in two starts this season, both at Sandown. The most recent was a closing fourth in a listed sprint won by the 110-rated Words Of Truth where she didn’t get a clear run on the rail until it was too late. She may only have one win to her name, but it came on quick ground at Windsor which favours speedy types, and it’s worth noting that her best performances have come on the flat tracks of Newbury and Ayr. Her trainer isn’t enjoying a good June so far, but with ideal conditions here she can give him a seventh three-year-old winner at the track from just 17 runners.

Ian Ogg: I'm intrigued to see how Nancy J gets on in the Premier Handicap in the Curragh. Her first run for Johnny Murtagh -after being bought out of Jessica Harrington's yard - was a non-event as she doesn't act on soft ground but conditions will be in her favour here and the yard is in form. Nancy J is nicely handicapped on the best of last season's form and is 10 lb below her initial mark; that reflects a disappointing season but she ran well on occasion, including when eighth in the Sandringham and in a C&D handicap won by a current stablemate. Her entry for a Group 3 next month may be neither here nor there given the value black type would add to her value as a broodmare but it might just suggest she's been showing the right signs at home and she should be the sort of price where you're happy to pay to find out.

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