The big betting race of the weekend is the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle and Roger Charlton's Withhold – not seen since landing the Cesarewitch at Newmarket back in the autumn – is the 4/1 market leader at BetVictor.
The five-year-old will be running from a mark 12lbs higher in the Pitmen's Derby on Saturday, but has run well on his sole start on a tapeta surface – second ironically to Roger Charlton's Blakeney Point when trained by Charlie Hills – and this galloping track and stiff finish will suit.
Sir Michael Stoute's Dannyday (12/1 with BetVictor) travelled very well in the Ascot Stakes last week, but failed to get home over that additional half mile. it is worth remembering that he won the consolation Northumberland Vase over C&D from a 4lbs lower mark two seasons ago and he is very high up the shortlist although it will only be eleven days on from Royal Ascot if he faces the starter at the weekend. He makes no appeal from a betting proposition until he is given the green light to run at the 48-hour declaration stage on Thursday morning.
A decent card at Newbury this evening and Fanfair (6.10) is taken to go one better than when finishing runner up at Lingfield (turf) last time over a furlong shorter under tonight's talented apprentice Rossa Ryan. This evening's additional distance represents unknown territory for the 4-year-old, who is 2lbs higher in the weights, but he wasn't stopping at Lingfield last time and was, arguably, an unlucky loser having met trouble in running when making his challenge.
Iconic Choice (6.40) is likely to get a bit further in time but Tom Dascombe's filly ran a race full of promise when fourth at Haydock on debut. The selection was slowly away but finished well under hands and heels and she could be up to taking when looks a moderate 6f Novice Auction event for the track.
I'm not yet convinced Dascombe's Teodoro needs a mile-and-a-half and I hope a change of scenery might bring about an upswing in fortune for Tuff Rock (7.40) who has his first start for David Lanigan in the feature race on the card. The selection was last seen finishing sixth at York's Dante meeting in a much better race than tonight's and he has only had nine career starts.
There is a valuable Novice Hurdle at Newton Abbot tonight and I hope to see Double Treasure (7.00) make all for Gavin Sheehan and Jamie Snowden despite being penalised 6lbs for winning at Fontwell earlier in the month.
I was disappointed with the finishing effort of Desirable Court at Uttoxeter last time, but she remains an exciting prospect and looks a bigger danger than the Paul Nicholls-trained The Last But One who reverts to timber having won all three of his completed chase starts earlier in the year. He did fall in two of his last three runs over fences, however, although he looked to be getting the better of the argument with Buster Thomas when coming down at the last at Wincanton back in April.
There is plenty of pace in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase and I feel Highbury High (7.30) might outrun his likely odds despite having only a 6lbs pull with Not A Role Model for the 18l he was behind that rival at Fontwell last time. The grey was returning from a short break last time and he didn't jump with his usual fluency, but he will certainly have the race run to suit and gets the each way vote with Harry Reed taking off a valuable 5lbs.
Court Of Justice (4.30) drops back in trip at Beverley having been forced to cover plenty of ground in the early part of the race at Chelmsford on his reappearance over ten furlongs earlier in the month. The selection only had the one start as a juvenile when second to Fajjaj (now rated 107) at Ascot on debut beaten half a length. He is entitled to improve for his seasonal reappearance and I hope Paul Mulrennan makes plenty of use of his mount.
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