Twenty go to post tomorrow for the Northumberland Plate run over a trip of two miles at Newcastle. This evening bookmakers go 8/1 the field for this competitive handicap which is also known as the 'Pitmen's Derby'. Over the last ten years the winner has come from stalls numbered 1-9 on eight occasions; Judgethemoment is strongly fancied but has two negative pointers - he has been drawn wide and happens to have won the Ascot Stakes less than a fortnight ago. Big weight-carrying performances are something of a rarity; that doesn't augur well for Friston Forest allocated nine stones ten pounds, but the next horse in the handicap, The Betchworth Kid, has just nine stones two to carry. I always look for something that is set to carry under nine stones in this. Speed Ticket and Keenes Day have the right profile and are bound to have their supporters but for me Wells Lyrical looks as though this has been his target and is worth a small each-way interest at around 10/1; note that recent stable form isn't convincing.
Over in Ireland Look Here is a horse I like, is top-rated for the ten furlong Pretty Polly Stakes, and ran a blinder last time out to be pipped in a three-way photo in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. I'm not certain whether the step back in trip will suit and there's a possibility she may 'bounce' on her second run after a long layoff, so I'll watch from the sidelines.
Saturday's Scoop 6 races (27 June 2009) are:
2.10 Newcastle
2.20 Newmarket
2.35 Newcastle
3.10 Newcastle
3.25 Newmarket
3.45 Newcastle
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Overnight rain in Newcastle changed the going to soft which resulted in the withdrawal of ante-post favourite Judgethemoment together with Desert Sea. Speed Ticket was made the new market leader but he was withdrawn less than an hour before the off having been found to be lame behind. The underfoot conditions led to something of a muddling race with Mick Channon's Som Tala (16/1) setting a sedate pace with several of those in behind (including Lyrical Wells) pulling hard for their heads. Som Tala kicked for home three out and he found plenty for pressure, holding Lyrical Wells (15/2) three quarters of a length at the line. The selection seemed a touch tapped for toe as they turned into the home straight but he stayed on well towards the finish, taking second from top-weight Friston Forest (14/1) but never really troubling the winner.
As I feared, the shorter trip didn't suit Look Here (11/8f) who ran a nice race but was always struggling to reel in the two leaders - Lord Lloyd-Webber's Dar Re Mi (9/2) beat 25/1 shot Beach Bunny a short head with the favourite a length back in third.
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