By Tony Calvin - 23 June 2025
On Monday morning we had 83 in the Northumberland Plate (at 3.15pm at Newcastle on Saturday) and we lost only 21 at the noon confirmation stage, so, with a maximum field of 20, there are going to be a lot of disappointed owners and trainers this weekend.
Willie Mullins was responsible for eight of the 83, including [5/1] ante-post favourite Reaching High, but last week’s unlucky Royal Ascot runner is no longer in the race, and nor were a lot of his other horses who were high up in the betting (including the likes of 8s chance Hipop Le Loire).
I am not sure if little more than a brass farthing would have been traded on the ante-post market to be honest – just as well, perhaps – but Mullins now only has two in the race, Pappano and Too Bossy For Us.
We also lost Sam Hawkens, who was the [8/1] second favourite when I looked at Oddschecker on Monday morning.
Who’s Glen, from the Andrew Balding yard that banged in four winners at Royal Ascot, is now the jolly at 6s, with Too Bossy For Us and Pappano at 7s and 8s respectively, with East India Dock also perched on the latter price.
There are masses of entries in all eight of the ITV weekend races, so I think you possibly will need to have a very good reason to get involved now, with the markets usually far more competitive price-wise once the final fields are known, with enhanced place terms thrown in.
I’ve just done the double entries below.
There are plenty of them, so perhaps connections won’t be disappointed, after all.
I am going to leave the races until weekend – though I will have another look on Wednesday morning, when I will update all the double entries – but AKBets have priced up the Plate , as well as Newcastle’ Chipchase Stakes at 2.10pm and the Criterion Stakes at York (2.25pm on Saturday).
The reason for the delay is twofold.
One, the races genuinely do look very messy/unappealing to me, as I wouldn’t be a fan of betting on the all-weather at the best of times. I certainly wasn’t tempted to have a bet after looking at the races on Monday afternoon, and again in the evening.
Two, I am on the piss in Brighton on Tuesday for a Racing Post old boys/greyhound fossils annual reunion.
Come and say hello if you are there.
I’m late to the party here for the reasons above – I got the last train out of Brighton on Tuesday night, thankfully – but I can see why Dancing In Paris has been backed, with all the 40s, 33s and 25s being taken in the last 24 hours.
He has been put up by the slight Matt Brocklebank in the Sporting Life and the heftier Paul Kealy in the Weekender.
He is best at 20s now and a general 16s.
But the 12s and 11s knocking about for Golden Rules looks okay.
The lightly-raced and delicate flower Golden Rules (just nine starts for a 8yo) has presumably been aimed at this race again, after finishing a 1/2-length second in this race off a 4lb higher mark in 2023, and Silvestre De Sousa is jocked up.
He shaped okay at Kempton in late March and got dropped 2lb for it, so a mark of 90 looks a fair one to exploit.
Maybe he is one to back after the final field is known at 10am tomorrow though, given he is presumably more injury prone than most.
I’ve updated the double entries below, by the way.
I’m good like that.
1.40pm Newcastle (33 entries: 14 maximum): Annaf, Arctic Voyage, City Walk, Dark Ace, Drama, Durham Castle, Grand Karat, He’s A Monster, Intrusively, Jubilee Walk, Oriental Prince, Pockington, Prince Of Pillo (entered overnight at Newcastle on Friday), Tinto
1.55pm York (31; 20): Asteverdi, Barley (13th at Carlisle on Wednesday), Beattie Is Back, Be Frank (due to run at Newmarket on Thursday), Capital Guarantee (NR at Carlisle on Wednesday), Great Acclaim (due to run at Newmarket on Thursday), Hot Cash (won at Carlisle on Wednesday), Impartiality (9th at Carlisle on Wednesday), Law Of Design, Mr King (13th at Carlisle on Wednesday), Mudbir, Native Warrior, Point Of Contact, Stanage, Urban Sprawl (5th at Carlisle on Wednesday)
2.10pm Newcastle (16; 14): Alynaabi, Annaf, Array, Intrusively, Paborus, Pocklington
2.25pm York (13: 22): Alyanaabi, Array, Boiling Point (due to run at Newcastle on Thursday), Paborus
2.40pm Newcastle (42; 20): Northumberland Vase so see 3.15pm
3.00pm York (19: 22): Arctic Voyage, Michaela’s Boy, Purest Question, Shagraan, Venture Capital, Zoulu Chief (finished fourth of five at 11-8 at Windsor on Monday)
3.15pm Newcastle (62; 20): Tribal Star, Anzac Day, Brosna Town, Gibside, Sea Legend (due to run at Newcastle on Thursday), Pralognan, Show No Fear, Tailorman, Golden Flame, Marbuzet, Cascade Hall, Secret Rock, Young Lucy
3.45pm Newcastle (24; 14): Arctic Grey, Boiling Point (due to run at Newcastle on Thursday), City Walk, Cosi Bello, Grand Karat, He’s a Monster, Intrusively, Local Hero (due to run at Newcastle on Thursday), Mudbir, Native Warrior, Point Of Contact, Rare Change, Superposition (due to run at Newcastle on Thursday)
Going – Good, good to firm in places
Going stick: 6.4 (Wednesday 4.10pm)
Thursday morning update/weather update from track: A dry, cloudy early Thursday morning. Recent rainfall of 0.4mm Tuesday, making 6.2mm in the last 7 days. Met Office forecast; cloudy with chance of a shower Thursday morning, developing into a dry sunny afternoon with a brisk Westerly wind, 22 degrees. Mainly dry, bright and breezy on Friday, 24 degrees. Dry with good sunny spells and a brisk WSW wind on Saturday, 26 degrees. Live links to the Met Office and our weather station are available at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk accessed by clicking on full going report on the home page.
Watering history: No irrigation Saturday to Wednesday. Irrigated with 2mms Wednesday night replacing moisture lost to the elements.
Rails: Rail from 9f to entrance to Home Straight 10m out from innermost.
Going: Standard
The track has been harrowed to full depth and graded since our last fixture on the 11th of May. Reinstating work has gone well, and the track has had time to settle, with this and forecast temperatures to be around 20’C come raceday the track will ride standard.
Stalls: 1m2f and 1m4f – Outside 2m – Inside Straight course – Centre
Thursday morning course update: 6mm of rain over the last seven days. (1mm overnight) Some isolated showers throughout the morning today before turning bright and breezy this afternoon. Friday bright and breezy in the main with a small chance of some showers. Highs of 20’C Raceday bright and breezy with highs of 23’C. 18mph WSW breeze, possible gusts of 35mph.
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