Racecards
15:50 Newcastle
John Smith's Northumberland Plate (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)
- 19 Runners
- Distance: 2m 19y
- Going: Good to Firm (Watered)
- Surface: Turf
- £140,000 added
- Winner: £86,226
- 2nd: £25,956
- 3rd: £12,978
- 4th: £6,468

- Form 016-376
- Age 6
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer C & M Johnston
- Jockey J Fanning
mid-division on inside, headway 3f out, chased leaders over 2f out, ridden and stayed on same pace final furlong, never on terms


- Form 451-440
- Age 7
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 101
towards rear, some headway on inside over 2f out, never near leaders

- Form 4252-31
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer M Botti
- Jockey Martin Harley
in touch, driven over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on to take 2nd inside final furlong, not reach winner

Big Thunder
274- Form 211151-
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer Sir Mark Prescott
- Jockey L Morris
tracked leaders, ridden 3f out, soon weakened

Boite (IRE)
352- Form 4/21838-
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer P W Chapple-Hyam
- Jockey Jordan Nason
always towards rear

- Form 72230/2
- Age 5
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey P Hanagan
mid-division, headway over 2f out, soon ridden and one pace, weakened final furlong

- Form 32/245-3
- Age 6
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer D O'Meara
- Jockey S De Sousa
mid-division on outside, outpaced over 2f out, never on terms

- Form 06-4412
- Age 5
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer R A Fahey
- Jockey George Chaloner
tracked leaders, switched outside over 2f out, went 2nd inside final 2f, led 1f out, ridden and edged right inside final furlong, kept on

- Form 347650/
- Age 6
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 95
tracked leaders, lost place 2f out, soon weakened

- Form 60-2241
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey P Mulrennan
held up towards rear, headway on inside 2f out, ridden and stayed on to chase leaders inside final furlong, held when not much room towards finish

- Form 355-151
- Age 4
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey Oisin Murphy
switched left from wide draw start, held up in rear, outpaced 3f out, stayed on into mid-division final 2f, never near leaders

- Form 116-088
- Age 4
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer A J Martin
- Jockey F Sweeney
mid-division, driven over 2f out, never reached leaders

- Form 1/100-90
- Age 6
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey D Allan
led or disputed lead, went on over 3f out, ridden inside final 2f, headed 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong

Glenard
35- Form 146-659
- Age 4
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer C Hills
- Jockey Graham Gibbons
tracked leaders, went 2nd over 3f out, ridden over 1f out, lost place inside final furlong, no impression when not much room towards finish

- Form 02627-0
- Age 5
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey P McDonald
towards rear of mid-division, outpaced over 2f out, soon weakened

- Form 5/21-0
- Age 4
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer J & S Quinn
- Jockey I J Brennan
in touch, outpaced over 2f out, soon weakened


- Form 3242-00
- Age 5
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer Jedd O'Keeffe
- Jockey R Kennemore
led or disputed lead, ridden 4f out, lost place over 3f out, behind final 2f, tailed off
- Form 1160-92
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey Adrian Nicholls
Nonrunner
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Winner Suegioo, second Angel Gabrial and fifth Glenard renew Chester Cup rivalry with Marco Botti's five-year-old bidding to do the double achieved by Ile De Re in 2012. But there shouldn't be much to choose between the first two on the revised terms and in-form Van Percy also enters calculations, though he'll have to break smartly to get a good position at the first bend from stall 22. Tony Martin trained the winner in 2008 and sends over Dark Crusader while Willie Mullins runs Cork second Lucky Bridle. Sir Ector completes the Irish challenge but he has plenty of weight. Noble Silk beat NEARLY CAUGHT at Haydock last month but the runner-up left his effort too late and is better off at the weights here. Hughie Morrison's stayer has been tried in group races so is clearly well regarded and could be good enough to land this off his current mark. Oriental Fox was sixth in the Ascot Gold Cup but this may come too soon and it's asking a lot of the prolific Big Thunder to win a race like this on his reappearance.
Formwatch
Oriental Fox (GER) 50-1 (9-2) Held up rear of mid-division, headway on inside under pressure over 2f out, never going pace to reach leaders and weakened over 1f out, 6th of 13, 9l behind Leading Light (9-0) at Royal Ascot 2m 4f Grp 1 (1) gf.
Repeater 12-1 (9-0) Held up in rear, ridden and headway far side over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong, 6th of 12, 6l behind Clever Cookie (9-0) at York 1m 6f Listed stks (1) gs in May.
Sir Ector (USA) 12-1 (9-5) Raced mainly in 5th, ridden and improved to challenge leader 3f out, no impression and weakened from under 2f out, 10th of 11, 17l behind Missunited (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 6f Listed stks (1) gd.
Suegioo (FR) 10-1 (9-4) In touch in 7th, not clear run and switched right over 3f out, chased leading pair inside final 2f, ridden and went 2nd 1f out, closing and challenging when carried badly right inside final furlong, stayed on to lead towards finish, won at Chester 2m 3f hcp (4yo+) (2) gd in May beating Angel Gabrial (9-2) by 1/2l, 17 ran.
Big Thunder 9-2 (9-5) Took keen hold, tracked leading pair, went 2nd 12f out, challenged 3f out, soon led, driven and in command over 1f out, stayed on well, won at Haydock 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-95 (3) gd in Sep beating Deficit (8-5) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Boite (IRE) 15-2 (9-0) Led, ridden and headed over 2f out, soon weakened, eased final furlong, last of 8, 19l behind Feel Like Dancing (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 5f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gf in Jul.
Lucky Bridle (IRE) 10-1 (9-12) Chased leaders in 3rd, ridden 3f out, kept on well inside final furlong, just held close home, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Eighteen Summers (8-5) at Cork 1m 2f hcp in May.
Tropical Beat 9-2 (9-4) Steadied start, held up in touch, switched to centre when race split over 10f out, headway over 3f out, soon ridden to challenge, hung right inside final furlong, kept on, 3rd of 9, 4l behind Van Percy (8-10) at Newmarket 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gf in May.
Angel Gabrial (IRE) 7-1 (9-2) Held up towards rear, rapid headway on wide outside 4f out, soon chasing leaders, led over 2f out, ridden 2 lengths clear over 1f out, strongly pressed when hung badly right under pressure inside final furlong, headed close home, 2nd of 17, 1/2l behind Suegioo (9-4) at Chester 2m 3f hcp (4yo+) (2) gd in May.
Buthelezi (USA) 9-1 (9-6) Pulled hard tracked leaders, ridden over 3f out, hung left from over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 10th of 12, 13l behind Mount Athos (9-10) at Newmarket 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gf in May '12.
Noble Silk 10-1 (8-13) Held up mid-division, headway 3f out, led over 1f out, ridden clear inside final furlong, stayed on well, won at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gd in May beating Nearly Caught (9-8) by 2l, 11 ran.
Van Percy 11-4fav (8-10) Held up in touch, remained on far side when race split over 10f out, switched left and headway over 3f out, every chance over 2f out, led over 1f out, stayed on strongly, won at Newmarket 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gf in May beating Blue Wave (9-3) by 3 1/2l, 9 ran.
Dark Crusader (IRE) 16-1 (9-12) Held up early and keen hold, progress into 5th halfway, ridden and no extra 3f out, last of 8, 17l behind Eighteen Summers (8-5) at Cork 1m 2f hcp in May.
Ardlui (IRE) 66-1 (9-6) In touch on inside, pushed along over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, 10th of 11, 10l behind Arab Spring (9-9) at York 1m 4f hcp 0-105 (2) gd in May.
Glenard 9-2 (9-1) Led, ridden and headed inside final 2f, weakened and eased 1f out, 9th of 11, 29l behind Noble Silk (8-13) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gd in May.
Mawaqeet (USA) 14-1 (9-4) Reluctant to go in stalls, slowly into stride, always towards rear, never dangerous, 11th of 17, 16l behind Suegioo (9-4) at Chester 2m 3f hcp (4yo+) (2) gd in May.
Agreement (IRE) 33-1 (9-4) Held up towards rear, never involved, 15th of 19, 30l behind Domination (9-7) at Royal Ascot 2m 4f hcp 0-95 (2) gd.
Totalize 8-1 (8-10) Held up towards rear, ridden and headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, kept on well, won at York 1m 6f hcp 0-90 (3) gd beating Eagle Rock (9-0) by 3 1/2l, 14 ran.
Waterclock (IRE) 25-1 (9-5) Tracked leaders, pushed along over 4f out, weakening when hampered over 3f out, soon behind, tailed off, 16th of 19, well behind Domination (9-7) at Royal Ascot 2m 4f hcp 0-95 (2) gd.
Nearly Caught (IRE) 8-1 (9-8) Held up mid-division, driven 3f out, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, went 2nd near finish, not reach winner, 2nd of 11, 2l behind Noble Silk (8-13) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gd in May.