Form profile

Churchill’s four-year-old stayer has been hinting that he’s ready for a greater test of stamina after doing much of his racing over 12f. He finished well to be second at Chester’s Boodles May Festival over that kind of trip. A dual winner at Newcastle, he’s set to return there this weekend.

Trainer says

I’m expecting him to get into the Northumberland Vase on Saturday, the consolation race for the Plate. He’s off 78 and needs to prove he stays 2m but he’s worth a try. The ground was too soft for him at York last time but he has a good record on the All-Weather.

Form profile

Now a five-year-old, the versatile son of Adaay has done all his winning on turf but is still lightly raced on the All-Weather. He won a Class 6 handicap at Beverley earlier this month to supplement two wins over hurdles.

Trainer says

We’re very fond of this horse because he’s named after my grandson, who is much better behaved! His dad is my stable jockey Ben Robinson who was delighted to win on him for the first time at Beverley. We plan to step him up to 12.5f at Newcastle this weekend and hope for a good run off just a 3lb higher mark.

Form profile

Four times a winner, this five-year-old went close to obliging on his second start for the stable at Wolverhampton in early June. Previously trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, he appears much better on synthetics, with a record of four from 25. He is 0-13 on turf.

Trainer says

Gidwa pulled a shoe off at Thirsk last time which is why he wasn’t able to build on the promise of his previous runs. He did nothing wrong at Wolverhampton when he was beaten a neck and seemed to stay the extended 7f at Beverley well enough after that. He’s back to 6f at Newcastle on Friday and should run well.

Form profile

The winner of over £130,000 on the All-Weather, this six-year-old is generally reliable and consistent as he showed when finishing seconds to Good Friday Marathon champion Prydwen in a valuable handicap at Southwell in late April. The six-year-old is a dual winner at Newcastle, where he finished third in the Marathon Final two years ago and remains effective between 12f and 2m.

Trainer says

People call him unreliable but the type of races he runs in are hard to win, yet he’s usually thereabouts. He loves Newcastle but is a much better horse there when the Tapeta’s riding faster. He can run a big race in the Plate if the track performs the way he likes it.

Form profile

Now a six-year-old, he hasn’t run since finishing a creditable third in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak in France in October in heavy ground. Third in the Cesarewitch before that and the winner of a valuable handicap at Chester, he is very much the flagbearer for Spring Cottage Stables but must have ease in the ground to give his best.

Trainer says

He’s a class horse but he needs soft ground and we just haven’t been able to get started with him. He was due to run in the Listed Further Flight at Nottingham in April but that was called off and it’s been too fast everywhere since. He didn’t get the rain he needed to take his chance in the Gold Cup but he’s fit and well and did a nice away day gallop at Tim Easterby’s the other day. He’ll take his chance in the Plate before we consider races like the Goodwood Cup, the Lonsdale at York and then France.

Form profile

An admirable veteran who has won two of his four starts this year, including in an amateur rider’s race at Catterick on 18th June. Nine times a winner, the eight-year-old has produced his best form at around 12f but stays further.

Trainer says

He’s eight now but holds his form well as he showed at Catterick the other day. That was his second win in three starts and I’m hoping for a big run up at Musselburgh on Thursday evening in another amateur riders’ race. Matt Brown gets on well with him and 1m5f looks ideal.

Form profile

This five-year-old has been in the form of his life this season, winning back-to-back 7f handicaps at York in June. A 6lb rise for his latest success may not be enough to stop him as he won an All-Weather handicap at Chelmsford City for John and Thady Gosden off 96 two years ago.

Trainer says

He’s a temperamental horse who winds himself up but he’s taken well to York. The 7f really suits him there and he definitely appreciates some give in the ground. I don’t want to break a winning formula so will head back to the Knavesmire with him.

Form profile

Yet to win in 14 starts, this four-year-old has shown clear signs of ability on several occasions including when second in a Class 4 handicap over 1m at Doncaster earlier this month. In fact, he’s been placed in six of his 14 starts and re-appears in a 1m handicap at Newcastle on Friday evening.

Trainer says

He fractured his pelvis last year and it’s taken a bit of time to get him back to the form we know he’s capable of. His Doncaster run was very encouraging and I’m hoping he can build on it at Newcastle on the straight mile now he seems to have found his confidence.

Form profile

An Al Kazeem gelding out of a Montjeu mare, this three-year-old looked in need of the experience over 10f at Nottingham on his only start in May. Well related, he could step back in trip at Newcastle.

Trainer says

He’s a very raw horse who will need a few runs to get the hang of things and should be better come the back-end. He’ll want a trip in time but may run over the straight 7f at Newcastle this weekend.

Form profile

This Acclamation filly made a bright start last year, finishing third on debut at Newcastle before winning a Catterick novice over 7f on easy ground. She heads back to the Tapeta for a 7f handicap on Thursday off a falling mark.

Trainer says

She’s ideally suited by 7f on quicker ground at 6f on soft, as she showed at Chester last month. She’s been dropped a few pounds since finishing second there which will help and I’ll be disappointed if she doesn’t add to her Catterick novice win.

Form profile

Lightly raced for a three-year-old, this gelding got off the mark at the fifth attempt in a 10f Doncaster handicap in May, benefiting from the step up in trip on good to soft ground. He couldn’t repel better class horses at York last time but re-appears in a lower grade over the extended 12f at Newcastle on Thursday.

Trainer says

He’s out of a Galileo mare so was always going to enjoy a test of stamina. He did it well at Doncaster and I think he’ll have more to offer going further.

Form profile

A promising colt who finished third in a 10f novice at Newcastle on debut and ran on to be second over 12f in the same grade at Thirsk last month. A son of Nathanial, he is entitled to progress this year and runs in the same Class 4 handicap as stablemate Terrorise at Newcastle on Thursday.

Trainer says

I think he’s well handicapped off his opening mark of 73. He was unlucky at Beverley on his second start when he stumbled on the bend and then had a wide trip at Thirsk last time but ran on well to be second from a difficult position.

Form profile

A winner on debut, she looked professional in a 5f novice at Newcastle at the end of March, beating subsequent winner and Listed placed Kuwaitya.

Trainer says

She knew her job but just lost a bit of weight after that so we backed off her. She’s looking fantastic now and is in the Super Sprint at Newbury next month.

Form profile

Another first-time-out winner, Dandy Man’s March foal finished well to take a 5f fillies’ novice at Beverley at the end of April. She wasn’t disgraced in the Listed Marygate Stakes at York on her second start and finished mid-division in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trainer says

The ground was far too lively for her at Ascot but Chris Hayes didn’t give her a hard time. She’s been sold to America but will continue racing for me until she goes.

Form profile

Mehmas filly Perfect Part advertised her potential with a debut win at Thirsk in early June – a race that has worked out well. After deciding to bypass the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, Ellison is now keen to step her up in trip.

Trainer says

I’d like to aim her at the 6f Lowther Stakes at York but we also have the option of the Listed Julia Graves (now Roses) Stakes over 5f there. The horse she beat at Beverley, Maw Lam, went on to finish third in the Queen Mary and the race was run in a faster time than the colts’ equivalent at that meeting. Ben Robinson rode her work the other day and she flew. I’m delighted that long-standing owner Keith Brown has an exciting horse on his hands.

Form profile

This Magna Grecia filly made an encouraging debut at Beverley in May but was outclassed in the Listed Marygate Stakes at York’s Dante Festival. With an official rating of 66, she is now poised for nurseries.

Trainer says

She’s been working very well at home and I think she’ll act well on the All-Weather. I’ve got her in a novice stakes at Newcastle on Saturday over 5f.