Northumberland Plate Guide 2022

Starting life over in France with Andre Fabre, Graphite was mainly seen over a mile and ran well several times over that trip.

However since moving over to England, the trip looked far too sharp and he found success over 12 furlongs in handicap company smartly.

He’s been kept at a mile and a half since but has been failing to land a serious blow in handicaps. He’s unexposed over staying trips but needs to prove he has the stamina to get involved.

Alan King’s dual purpose horse in Who Dares Wins scored this race back in 2019 off a mark of 101. He struggled for form on the flat thereafter but bounced back with a brilliant win in the 2020 Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He’s not managed to notch a win in either code since. He went close over 2 miles at Wolverhampton last season but saw his form tail off.

Unable to get involved in the Queen Alexandra Stakes last year and being left behind in staying races towards the end of the season.

He’s not been in the best form over hurdles recently either but is a previous winner of this race and lines up off a dangerous handicap mark of 95.

Coming stone last in this race last year at a big price, Sir Chauvelin had a busy campaign over the winter on the all weather.

Winning her at Newcastle over 12 furlongs in a low level handicap twice, he got the better of Onesmoothoperator here back in February. Upped to 2 miles again he ran well behind Bandinelli at Kempton but has seen his form tail off since.

No match for Earlofthecotswolds on his next outing, he was then last in a 12 furlong handicap last time out at Hamilton. He’s 8lbs lower in the ratings than last year but will need to show much more to have a chance.

A proven stayer on the all weather, Rainbow Dreamer has some smart form in the books for Alan King over long trips on artificial surfaces.

He’s won multiple handicaps over 2 miles on the all weather and also scored a good deal of conditions races too.

Tries in group races last season left him outclassed and he ran in this race off a lofty mark of 110 last year. The handicapper seemingly has the better of him.

He ran a good race behind Nicholas T over this course and distance in December before getting the better of Earlofthecotswolds at Wolverhampton.

His form has dipped off since but he lines up 12lbs lower than last year. If he leaves his recent form behind he’s not without hope of hitting the frame.

A veteran of the game, Red Verdon showed he still retains a good deal of class after having a busy time from last summer to last September.

Kept on the go for over a year, he scored a listed race and a group 2 over 14 furlongs in 2020 and managed to score listed success again in a small field at Sandown in July of last year.

A decent comeback run over 2 miles at Wolverhampton over 2 miles saw him come 2nd, but his form hasn’t hit the same heights since.

Unable to make a mark in group races over 12 furlongs, he has also struggled in handicaps off high marks.

He’s dropped to a mark of 99 but needs to seriously improve on what he’s shown recently.

Heather Main’s charge showed some brilliant stamina back in 2020 and enjoyed a move up to marathon trips.

Winning a 2 mile handicap at Ascot and rounding out the season with a good course and distance win in a conditions race.

He failed to make in waves last season but did put in a decent outing in this race to be 4th off a mark of 100. He did manage to score a handicap over 14 furlongs in handicap company before being well outclassed in a listed contest at the end of the season.

A trip to Meydan this Spring failed to yield any success and he failed to show much in the Copper Horse Stakes last time out.

He is 3lbs lower in the weights than last year but will need to improve on what he’s shown this season.

Jane Chapple-Hyam had a brilliant Royal Ascot this year and brings Uber Cool to this race for his seasonal comeback.

The 8 year old has shown plenty of stamina over the years and scored a few handicaps over 14 to 16 furlongs back in 2018.

He rounded out that season with a decent showing in the Cesarewitch to be 9th. He had a massive break off the back of that but returned off nearly 1000 days off to win at Chester over 13.5 furlongs smartly.

He failed to keep the form going though and didn’t manage to score another win last season. Running well in defeat a few times his mark has only been nudged down by 1lb and he might be handicapped to the max of his abilities.

Charlie Fellows has yet to try Pirate King over a staying trip for 3 years, with him struggling to get involved in handicaps over 2 miles, he dropped back in trip and found success.

Winning three handicaps over 12 furlongs on the all weather across the winter of 2019 to 2020, he’s shown his best form on the all weather and looked well out of place on turf last summer.

Six runs on the all weather this season have failed to yield a win, 12 furlongs potentially starting to look inadequate. He needs to prove he can stay 2 miles now he’s older but his mark has been in free fall since last summer.

Keith Dalgleish sends his 7 year old gelding Alright Sunshine here off the back of a decent run in the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot.

An established stayer for Hugo Palmer, Rajinksy has been highly consistent for connections over marathon trips. Going close in some 2 mile handicaps back in 2020, he finally got his head in front over a long trip when scoring early last season at Ripon.

He finished a decent 3rd in this race last year off a mark of 93 before a couple of weak outings. Bouncing back with a handsome win at Ascot he then ran a good race to be 6th in the Cesarewitch at the end of last season.

Returning to action this season in fine form, he defied a mark of 97 to score the same race at Ripon as last year. Last seen running in the Chester Cup he wasn’t beaten far to be 3rd.

The form of that race worked out well with the winner being 2nd in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot and the 2nd winning the Ascot Stakes.

He’s gone up another 2lbs for his effort last time out but the form has been well advertised.

A good stayer for the Johnston’s, Themaxwecan put in a poor showing in this race last year to be 17th of the 20 runners. He showed his staying talent back in 2020 to be a good 2nd in the Cesarewitch.

He left his poor showing in this race when winning a handicap at Goodwood over 2 miles but found himself well beaten in the Cesarewitch last year, only beating 2 rivals home.

He hasn’t returned in good form this season however. Coming last over 14 furlongs in a handicap, he then put in a poor showing at Nottingham over the same trip.

Last seen in the Ascot Stakes, he wasn’t beaten too far and shaped like 2.5 miles was too taxing of stamina. He’s 6lbs lower than his effort here last year but arrives well out of form.

A brilliant horse for Alan King, Trueshan has captured some big pots recently in staying races. Having won the British Champion Stayers race in 2020 on soft ground, his return last season saw him beaten in a group 3 over an inadequate trip before coming 6th in this race off top weight.

He’s been on a winning tear since then. Winning the Goodwood Gold Cup, the Prix Du Cadran and the British Champion Stayers race again at Ascot.

He continued the winning thread at Nottingham in a listed race in fine fashion.

However he was beaten off a big weight in this race last year and lines up off a higher rating this year.

Hugo Palmer saddles 4 year old Solent Getaway here after his gelding showed some strong stamina last summer to beat Mancini in a 2 mile handicap at Chester.

He started the season over trips as short as 10 furlongs for Tom Dascombe last year and even managed to score a win over the shorter trop with a high priced victory at Epsom.

Moved up in trip off the back of that he stayed on powerfully over 12 furlongs at Chester hinting that stamina might be his game.

A disappointing end to the season saw him fail to beat a rival home at Newbury and his form hasn’t improved much for a switch to Hugo Palmer.

A decent 3rd on seasonal return, he then put in a poor showing in the Chester Cup before a nightmare run at Epsom last time out.

He needs to seriously bounce back to form to have a say in this deeper contest.

Another representative for Andrew Balding, Spirit Mixer showed some smart form last season and relished stepping up in trip to 14 furlongs. Scoring in handicap company before going close behind Bandanelli on his next outing.

A return this season over a mile and a half was too sharp but stepping back up to a mile and 6 furlong saw him win again.

A slight drop in trip didn’t stop his winning ways and he scored twice over 13.5 furlongs despite swipes from the handicapper.

Last seen trying 2 miles for the first time a wide draw at Chester probably hurt his chances and he only managed to come 4th in a rough race.

He’s well worth another go at a staying trip and it could draw out more improvement.

After failing to break his maiden as a 2 year old, going up in trip brought improvement out of Golden Flame and he broke his maiden over 13.5 furlongs and then beat Pied Piper over 14 furlongs in a handicap.

A few decent handicap outings followed, going close over 2 miles and scoring over 14 furlongs at Haydock before being put away for the season.

Three outings this season have only seen him put in one solid outing. Going close behind Valley Forge over 2 miles at Haydock, he was last seen well beaten in the Ascot Stakes behind Coltrane. He’ll have a hard time trying to make all the running in this race.

A 4 year old for Sir Mark Prescott, Alright Sunshine enjoyed a step up in trip last season and scored easily in low level handicaps over 13 and 14 furlongs. Just beaten by Tashkan on his next outing, he then scored another brace of low level handicap wins.

Unable to land a blow in the Melrose handicap behind Valley Forge, he still rounded out the season with a decent win off a big weight at Haydock.

His return to racing this season left a lot to be desired however. Well beaten behind Nate The Great off a mark of 97, going up in trip may yet unlock further improvement.

Scoring a novice over a mile and a half on the all weather late in 2020, Bandinelli’s form tailed off of the back of that and he found himself gelded half way through last year.

The operation had the desired effect as he scored his next two starts. Winning over a mile and a half in a handicap and then over 14 furlongs. Dropping back in trip didn’t suit next time out but he scored again when sent over 2 miles last November.

He backed that up smartly at Kempton in March but since has seen his form tail off. Coming last in a handicap over 2 miles he only ran last week at Royal Ascot in the Copper Horse stakes and shaped well to be 12th and not beaten too far.

Going back up in trip will suit and he’s shown a liking for the all weather.

An all weather specialist, Onesmoothoperator has only been seen once on turf and that was on his most recent outing.

Starting life over a mile and a half, he struggled in handicaps before being gelded and leaving the care of David Simcock.

Finding some form for his new connections saw him score over 12 furlongs and run some decent races in defeat. Moving up in trip in March saw him go close over this course and distance, only being denied by a short head.

Running in a conditions race off the back of that he shaped well again over this track and trip to be 3rd behind Earlofthecotswolds.

Last seen over 14 furlongs in a listed race he was well outclassed and didn’t beat a single rival home. A rating of 98 is a career high but he has shown a liking for this course and trip.

Andrew Balding looks to have found the key to success for this 4 year old having upped him in trip to 2 miles. Despite scoring over 12 furlongs and winning the Melrose handicap last year at York the handicapper seemed to get the better of him after that.

Unable to back up his Melrose win off a mark of 90 he then put in a dreadful run in a listed race at Ascot to finish the season.

Gelded off the back of that, he returned this season in handicap company but again failed to get competitive over 14 furlongs.

Upped to 2 miles last time out he just got his head in front to deny Golden Flame in the shadows of the post.

He only got a 4lbs rise for that and there’s no reason that more improvement won’t come for running over 2 miles.

Another representative for Charlie and Mark Johnstone, Tribal Art managed to score 3 times last season. Breaking his maiden over a mile before finding move success going up in trip. Winning twice over 11 furlongs.

Finding himself well outclassed in deeper contests at the end of the season, he was gelded and returned in fine form over a longer trip this year. Scoring nicely over 14 furlongs at a low level, he’s since run well in handicaps between 12 and 14 furlongs.

Last seen in the Ascot Stakes coming a respectable 7th, stepping back in trip looks like it’ll suit.