Back Balding duo Glen and Mixer to serve up Plate victory
AFTER the five-day extravaganza at Royal Ascot, we head north to Newcastle this weekend in search of some ante-post value.
The North East track hosts its biggest raceday of the year on Saturday, with the highlight the Northumberland Plate (3.15pm) – known locally as the “Pitmen’s Derby” – on the all-weather.
It’s a race that has seen some major staying performances in recent years, notably when Trueshan shouldered a welter weight of 10st 8lbs to win in 2022.
Last year’s winner, Onesmoothoperator, returns to defend his crown for Geordie trainer Brian Ellison, but he is nearly a stone higher in the weights than 12 months ago and might find something better handicapped.
One of those could be WHO’S GLEN for the Andrew Balding team.
This son of Gleneagles has some great all-weather form to his name, placing five times from six starts on an artificial surface.
He was a hugely impressive 13-length winner over a mile-and-three-quarters on heavy ground at Chester last season but couldn’t back that up when upped in class on his final start of the year at York.
In two starts this season he looks to be coming to the boil nicely, after finishing second on his return at Kempton in March and then stepping up on that to run fifth in the Chester Cup.
To be beaten just under five lengths, after being given a waiting ride and only getting clear racing room once into the short straight, was clearly a big effort.
It may be that his run faltered slightly towards the end of that extended two-mile contest and this drop back to a bare two miles should be perfect for him.
I have the feeling that this could be a 100-plus horse, so his current rating of 93 looks to underestimate him, and back on the all-weather I think he’s ready to confirm that assessment.
He looks a rock-solid each-way bet at 6/1.
At Ascot last week, the Balding team had their runners in rude health, sending out four winners over the five days, which bodes well for Who’s Glen’s prospects as well as those of his stablemate SPIRIT MIXER.
Rewind to the 2022 edition of this race where Spirit Mixer was beaten less than a length by Trueshan off a mark of 97 and it’s clear he has the tools for this exacting test.
He also ran in this contest 12 months ago, finishing in mid-division with an inexperienced rider aboard.
Rob Hornby, who has been in the saddle for both of his two most recent victories, has been booked, suggesting that he will line up in this race for a third consecutive year.
Spirit Mixer has run some decent races this season, including in the Chester Cup, and caught the eye last time out when staying on strongly to finish second at Goodwood.
That run should have teed him up nicely for this and he’s worth an each-way play at 25/1.
I also like the look of DOSMAN in the following race, the Pertemps Network Handicap (3.45pm).
Regular rider Silvestre de Sousa waxed lyrical about this horse last year, and he was impressive when winning a seven-furlong novice event on the all-weather at Kempton.
That was followed by a fine third on his next start at Newmarket, behind last week’s Prince Of Wales’s winner Ombudsman.
His form took a nosedive in his final two starts of last season and he displayed plenty to suggest he was coltish and potentially an all-round tricky customer.
He’s since been gelded, and if that helps him apply maximum effort to match his clear ability, then we could be sitting on a nice 12/1 ticket come Saturday.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Who’s Glen e/w 3.15pm Newcastle
Spirit Mixer e/w 3.15pm Newcastle
Dosman e/w 3.45pm Newcastle