It’s the middle of the summer and with that comes the Pitmen’s Derby, otherwise more formally known as the Northumberland Plate - the richest all-weather staying race run of the season.
The contest has attracted top-class performers in the past, including multiple Group 1-winner Trueshan who carried top weight to victory just two years ago. So could there be another star horse in this year’s race?
It’s a cracking card which will be shown live on ITV and our man Clive Gildon assesses the big race, giving his opinion on who are the best bets for the Newcastle feature.
3.10 - Northumberland Plate (Heritage Handicap, 2m1/2f)
The biggest race in Newcastle’s calendar has attracted a stellar field of 20 and the one to be on is SPARTAN ARMY, who appears to have been trained with this race in mind by Alan King - a trainer who certainly knows how to win this contest having been responsible for Trueshan’s weight-carrying victory two seasons ago.
Spartan Army is the third-highest-rated runner in the race on BHA figures but will carry only 8st 11lb because the 111-rated Tashkhan has kept the weights down. That works nicely in the selection’s favour.
The five-year-old went on a rapid upward curve during the winter and completed a hat-trick of staying handicap victories when seeing off Prydwen by a neck at Lingfield back in March.
Spartan Army was defying a mark 7lb higher than when winning the first of his three races and it was his old rival Prydwen who denied him a four-timer when he finished third in the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap over course and distance on Good Friday.
That might prove to be the key line of form because the son of Highland Reel was beaten just a head by Duke Of Oxford for second that day and the pair will renew their rivalry on the same terms this time.
However, King’s five-year-old covered significantly more real estate on the outside of the field that day, whereas Duke Of Oxford saved ground on the inner, and lost more lengths by racing wide than he was actually beaten. There is a good chance he can reverse the places granted a better run.
King has given Spartan Army a 71-day break since his last run on turf at Newbury and his form figures following layoffs of at least 50 days read 131. He clearly goes well fresh and it has probably been a deliberate ploy by King to have his runner come into the race following an absence.
The main danger is Duke Of Oxford, who came from a long way back when second behind Prydwen in the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap and might be better than the bare form suggests - form which is strong when you consider that Prydwen came out to win again off 6lb higher next time.
Duke Of Oxford is lightly raced and all of his best efforts have come on the all-weather, so he will definitely appreciate returning to this surface following a dismal run on turf last time.
He was beaten nine lengths by Zoffee in the Chester Cup on that occasion and could never get competitive, but his last four form figures on sand read 1132 and he had been progressive.
Tyler Heard, who rode him on three of those four occasions, is back in the saddle claiming 3lb from Duke Of Oxford’s back after missing his last run at Chester when he was replaced by David Egan. Heard’s presence is evidently a positive and if Spartan Army is beaten, Duke Of Oxford may be the one to do so.
