Sport : Horse Racing

Racecard

Newcastle - Sat 30th Jun 2012
14:15 14:45 15:20 15:55 16:25 16:55 17:30

15:20 John Smith's Northumberland Plate 2m 19y
Scheduled - (Class 2), £140,000 added, 3yo+, 16 runners
Winner £86,226 2nd £25,956 3rd £12,978 4th £6,468
Going: Heavy Surface: Turf

No	Form	Horse	A	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer	OR
1 (5)	37/441-0	Petara Bay (IRE) 7	8	9-10	T Eaves	R Mills	108
2 (17)	1-21334	Gulf of Naples (IRE) 9	4	9-9	S De Sousa	M Johnston	107
3 (9)	1407U-1	Ile De Re (FR) 52	6	9-3	Jim Crowley	D McCain Jnr	101
5 (8)	277762-	Icon Dream (IRE) 336	5	9-0	G Lee	J S Goldie	98
6 (6)	0197-31	Crackentorp 14 (ex5)	7	9-0	D Allan	T D Easterby	93
7 (3)	40098-3	The Betchworth Kid 15	7	8-13	J P Spencer (3)	A King	97
8 (1)	125014-	Motivado 280	4	8-12	L Morris	Sir Mark Prescott	96
10 (4)	9803-99	Merchant of Dubai 15	7	8-9	P Pickard (3)	J S Goldie	93
12 (12)	808389	Montaff 28	6	8-7	S Hitchcott	M R Channon	91
14 (2)	2621-21	Figaro 36	4	8-6	Kelly Harrison	W J Haggas	90
15 (13)	8084-23	High Office 21	6	8-6	B McHugh	R A Fahey	90
16 (16)	110-329	Lexington Bay (IRE) 14	4	8-4	P Mathers	R A Fahey	88
17 (7)	1342-33	Palazzo Bianco 28	4	8-2	N Mackay	J H M Gosden	86
18 (10)	324502	Halla San 4	10	7-12	James P Sullivan	R A Fahey	82
19 (14)	11163-2	French Hollow 6	7	7-12	Neil Farley (5)	T J Fitzgerald	80
20 (19)	80370-0	Trovare (USA) 3	5	7-12	D E Egan (5)	Mrs A J Perrett	80

Non runners
4 (11)	76-4569	Blue Bajan (IRE)	10	9-2	D O'Meara	D Tudhope	100
9 (20)	2229-06	Kiama Bay (IRE)	6	8-11	J J Quinn	J P Spencer	95
11 (18)	3/1560-9	Lyric Street (IRE)	4	8-9	E A L Dunlop	P Mulrennan	93
13 (15)	1220-P6	Kazbow (IRE)	6	8-6	C Grant	Non Runner	90

Verdict

Shocks are not uncommon in the Pitmen's Derby and eight of the last 10 renewals have seen winners returned at double-digit starting prices. Tominator was a 25/1 chance last year and his jockey, Paul Pickard, will be hoping to cause an upset again this year on board MERCHANT OF DUBAI. Jim Goldie's charge was a long way behind the much-improved Ile De Re in the Chester Gold Cup on his reappearance but ran a lot better over 1m6f at York earlier this month, despite only beating three home. He has something to find to reverse that form with The Betchworth Kid but, in contrast to many of rivals, a slog through the mud is very much up his street and he should be prominent from the outset from stall four. Goodwood winner Figaro is one who might struggle to get home while Gulf Of Naples had a hard race in the Ascot Gold Cup and is no certainty to confirm Ripon running in April with both Halla San and Montaff. High Office has been running well over shorter trips and has place claims again, however, as he's weighted to reverse Ayr running last year with stablemate Lexington Bay while Palazzo Blanco is very consistent and probably still on a decent mark. Crackentorp has a penalty for a second win in the Queen Mother's Cup at York and could struggle to get involved here while Motivado has both his stamina and ability to handle the ground to prove on his return.

Formwatch

Petara Bay (IRE) 12-1 (9-2) Held up in rear, headway over 2f out, never on terms, 12th of 18, 33l behind Simenon (9-2) at Royal Ascot 2m 6f stks (2) gd.

Gulf of Naples (IRE) 25-1 (9-0) Led, pushed along 5f out, ridden and narrowly headed approaching final furlong, stayed on, held when lost 3rd towards finish, 4th of 9, 1 3/4l behind Colour Vision (9-0) at Royal Ascot 2m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs.

Ile De Re (FR) 10-1 (8-11) Mid-division on inside, headway on outside over 5f out, chased clear leader over 2f out, closed to lead over 1f out, stayed on well, driven out (hand-timed), won at Chester 2m 3f hcp (4yo+) (2) sft in May beating Overturn (9-10) by 1 3/4l, 16 ran.

Blue Bajan (IRE) 16-1 (9-2) Close up, ridden 3f out, weakened 2f out, 9th of 10, 34l behind Opinion Poll (9-4) at Sandown 2m Grp 3 (1) gf in May.

Icon Dream (IRE) 8-1 (9-1) Took keen hold, chased leader, left in lead 5f out, driven along 3f out, stayed on under pressure until no extra and headed final 75 yards, 2nd of 14, nk behind Petara Bay (9-9) at Goodwood 1m 6f hcp 105 (2) gf in Jul.

Crackentorp 10-1 (10-13) With leaders, headway over 3f out, led over 2f out, kept on, won at York 1m 4f ladys hcp 0-95 (3) sft beating Hong Kong Island (9-12) by 3/4l, 19 ran.

The Betchworth Kid 16-1 (9-7) Slowly into stride, held up in rear, headway on stand's side and edged left over 1f out, stayed on to 3rd final 100 yards, no chance with leading duo, 3rd of 12, 7l behind Qahriman (9-0) at York 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gs.

Motivado 5-1 (9-3) Mid-division, headway over 2f out, soon switched right to challenge, hung left inside final furlong, kept on close home, 4th of 16, 1l behind Lexington Bay (7-11) at Haydock 1m 6f hcp 0-100 (2) gs in Sep.

Kiama Bay (IRE) 16-1 (9-1) Chased leaders, ridden over 5f out, weakened over 3f out, 6th of 16, 34l behind Ile De Re (8-11) at Chester 2m 3f hcp (4yo+) (2) sft in May.

Merchant of Dubai 12-1 (9-3) Chased leader, led over 3f out until ridden over 2f out, weakened soon after, 9th of 12, 24l behind Qahriman (9-0) at York 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gs.

Lyric Street (IRE) 12-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden 3f out, weakened inside final furlong, 9th of 15, 4 1/2l behind Easy Terms (8-10) at York 1m 4f hcp 0-105 (2) gd in May.

Montaff 10-1 (9-5) Steadied in rear, never dangerous, 9th of 10, 12l behind Lordofthehouse (8-7) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gf.

Kazbow (IRE) 25-1 (9-4) Keen hold in touch, headway over 3f out, soon chasing leaders, every chance over 2f out, hung left under pressure approaching final furlong, faded closing stages, 6th of 10, 9l behind Lordofthehouse (8-7) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gf.

Figaro 2-1fav (9-5) Made all, ridden over 1f out, kept on well inside final furlong, won at Goodwood 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) gf in May beating Lady Rosamunde (8-11) by 2l, 9 ran.

High Office 20-1 (8-12) 3rd of 15, 5l behind High Jinx (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 4f hcp 0-105 (2) gs.

Lexington Bay (IRE) 8-1 (10-2) Held up up towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 9th of 19, 9l behind Crackentorp (10-13) at York 1m 4f ladys hcp 0-95 (3) sft.

Palazzo Bianco 9-2 (8-10) Led 1f, soon in touch, effort when not clear run over 3f out, outpaced over 2f out, ran on closing stages, 3rd of 10, 4l behind Lordofthehouse (8-7) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gf.

Halla San 6-4 (9-8) In touch in rear, closed on leaders on outer 7f out, ridden over 3f out, effort to lead over 2f out, soon headed, still every chance 1f out, kept on one pace, 2nd of 5, 4l behind Just Lille (9-8) at Beverley 1m 4f clm stks (6) gs.

French Hollow 9-1 (9-8) Steadied start, took keen hold, held up in touch, headway over 3f out, went 2nd over 2f out, ridden and no impression on winner over 1f out, 2nd of 8, 4 1/2l behind Orsippus (9-3) at Pontefract 2m 2f hcp 0-85 (4) sft.

Trovare (USA) 40-1 (9-2) Tracked leaders, not clear run and lost place from 4f out until over 2f out, well held after, 12th of 14, 18l behind Incendo (9-4) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol.