northumberland plate

He said today its v likely it will run

cheers, didn't realise

Royal Ascot hero Pique Sous is "very likely" to turn out quickly for the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday.

The seven-year-old came close to losing his life last autumn after suffering a severe bout of colic, but showed he is better than ever with a brilliant display in the Queen Alexandra Stakes in the hands of Ryan Moore.

The grey is now safely back at champion trainer Willie Mullins' County Carlow base, but is likely to be heading back across the Irish Sea later this week.

Steve Massey, racing manager for the owners Supreme Horse Racing, said: "The horse caught the ferry back to Ireland last night and is grand and fine back at Willie's this morning.

"I spoke to Willie and Ryan about the Northumberland Plate yesterday, Ryan was keen and if the horse is all right come Tuesday and the ground is suitable, I think it's very likely he'll run.

"He gets in with a 5lb penalty. He was rated 96 going into yesterday and I'd say he'll go up at least 10lb, so he'll be well-in.

"I thought Ryan gave him a fantastic ride as he pulled hard in the early stages. I think the two and three-quarter miles he faced yesterday is the top end of his limit and I actually think he can improve going back to two miles.

"He travels so well in his races and has some kick. The time was quicker than Simenon's when he won the race two years ago.

"I don't think he'll jump a hurdle again. We'll be concentrating on the Flat from now on."

interesting that it'll be effectively in on 101, yesterday it beat Brass Ring rated 103, El Salvador 105 and Tiger Cliff 112 off level weights

1     5-5065    Simenon9    7    9-11    W P Mullins75     111    97    116
2     112/13    Whiplash Willie30    6    9-8    Andrew Balding60    Oisin Murphy3     108    87    116
3     16-376    Oriental Fox9    6    9-5    Mark Johnston61     105    111    120
4     5-3639    Shwaiman9    4    9-4    James Fanshawe63     104    85    120
5     64-506    Repeater28    5    9-2    David O´Meara47     102    81    119
6     51-440    Sir Ector22      7    9-1    J J Lambe     101    115    120
7     33-722    Duke Of Clarence28    5    9-1    Richard Fahey51     101    75    119
8     321-51    Pique Sous7 5x      7    9-1    W P Mullins75     101    91    114
9     160-92    Nearly Caught35    4    9-0    Hughie Morrison75    George Baker     100    107    120
10     270-22    Earth Amber59    5    9-0    Nicky Henderson75    Kieren Fallon     100    85    119
11     252-31    Suegioo52    5    8-13    Marco Botti85     99    82    118
12     11151-    Big Thunder274    4    8-12    Sir Mark Prescott Bt     98    99    118
13     21838-    Boite352    4    8-11    Peter Chapple-Hyam44     97    28    98
14     1454-1    Al Saham49      5    8-11    Saeed bin Suroor62     97    114    122
15     2230/2    Lucky Bridle36    5    8-11    W P Mullins75     97    41    115
16     245-3    Tropical Beat42      6    8-11    David O´Meara47     97    108    120
17     09-630    Kelinni21    6    8-11    Marco Botti85     97    87    120
18     21-971    De Rigueur28      6    8-11    Marco Botti85     97    60    118
19     6-4412    Angel Gabrial52      5    8-10    Richard Fahey51     96    110    119
20     477-00    Montaser14      5    8-10    David Simcock39     96    83    125
21     47650/    Buthelezi78J    6    8-9    Brian Ellison33     95    —    —
22     0-2241    Noble Silk35      5    8-9    Lucy Wadham     95    107    120
23     55-151    Van Percy42    4    8-9    Andrew Balding60     95    103    120
24     16-088    Dark Crusader36    4    8-9    A J Martin     95    117    120
25    11101-    Alcaeus272    4    8-8    Sir Mark Prescott Bt     94    103    120
26     1323-7    Lieutenant Miller11      8    8-7    Nicky Henderson75    Tom Queally     93    95    119
27    114510    Villa Royale11      5    8-7    Michael Appleby59     93    106    118
28     227-11    Thomas Edison34    7    8-6    A J Martin     92    77    112
29     100-90    Ardlui43      6    8-5    Tim Easterby42     91    83    121
30     0732-8    Expert Fighter42    5    8-5    Saeed bin Suroor62     91    68    119
31     46-659    Glenard35    4    8-5    Charles Hills48     91    104    121
32     2627-0    Mawaqeet15J    5    8-5    Donald McCain     91    75    122
33    5/21-0    Agreement11    4    8-5    John Quinn56     91    76    101
34     016-31    Totalize15 5x    5    8-5    Brian Ellison33     91    114    120
35     242-00    Waterclock11    5    8-4    Jedd O´Keeffe67     90    104    120
36     1100-1    Poyle Thomas28    5    8-4    Ralph Beckett50     90    100    119
37     13-116    Hassle28      5    8-3    Clive Cox50     89    104    121
38     3-6076    Party Line8    5    8-3    Mark Johnston61     89    94    122
39    669240    Gabrial´s King11      5    8-3    David Simcock39     89    94    119
40    145230    Modernism14    5    8-3    David Simcock39     89    77    120
41     8-2279    Pilgrims Rest14    5    8-3    Tim Pitt     89    104    120
42     3161-9    Bin Singspiel15      4    8-2    James Tate45     88    86    111
43     170-33    Rhombus20      4    8-2    Ismail Mohammed29     88    114    121
44     4-2361    Lion Beacon8 5x    4    8-2    Amanda Perrett25     88    107    117
45     96-849    Brockwell11    5    8-1    Tom Dascombe35     87    105    120
46     0-0091    Moidore29      5    8-1    John Quinn56     87    99    119
47    2-1900    Be Perfect63      5    8-0    David Nicholls17     86    106    117
48     7-0067    Media Hype43    7    8-0    K R Burke75     86    78    118
49     04218/    Barizan6J    8    8-0    Donald McCain     86    —    —
50    274108    Gabrial´s Star28    5    7-13    Richard Fahey51     85    96    121
51     76-145    Presto Volante20      6    7-13    Amanda Perrett25     85    82    116
52     72700-    Cousin Khee231    7    7-10    Hughie Morrison75     82    69    111
53     8-1579    Jonny Delta14    7    7-9    Jim Goldie44     81    105    115
54     0-9680    Palazzo Bianco6      6    7-8    Brian Ellison33     80    75    108
55     32336    Entihaa14      6    7-8    Alan Swinbank50     80    101    114
56     22-219    Perfect Summer28      4    7-7    Lady Cecil67     79    103    112
57    1-5217    Story Writer20      5    7-5    William Knight50     77    92    112
58     07-008    Crackentorp14    9    7-4    Tim Easterby42     76    69    110
59     352-4    Fair Loch29    6    7-3    K R Burke75     75    51    107
60    123404    Keep Kicking14      7    6-11    Simon Dow25     69    60    99

6/1 pique sous very fair price

expecting about 4s

Not saying Pique Sous won't win but I wouldn't take the form of the Queen Alexandra literally as none of those rating were achieved over that trip. For example Tiger Cliff was beaten off 94 over 20f at Royal Ascot last year. He does still look well handicapped though and the drop down in trip should suit. It's just a case of if the race comes too soon. Mubaraza ran in the race last year after running at Ascot but he ran on the Tuesday not the Saturday so it's not really comparable. I can't remember one that has tried this double.

One I quite like at the early prices is De Rigeur (14s). On his last run at 2m on this sort of ground he beat Sun Central comfortably. De Rigeur is now 11 lbs higher but 2 starts later Sun Central won off a 12 lb higher mark. Won't matter to him if some rain comes later in the week.

Rather missed the boat ante-p on this race myself
Liked the ew chances of Van Percy for this (was 16s,now 12s )
Think he will go well on Sat, granted the ground stays fast.
Will wait till sat morn before playing now, after missing the price.

no rain so far this week

Pique Sous not declared - another Mullins masterclass.

liked the look of Van Percy in this but drawn plum in the car park - stall 22 :)

of the better drawn horses quite like nearly caught but quite high in the weights...

this will be the first time in a while we have had GF i would imagine.... always a decent day out anyway...

Really fancy Tropical Beat @ 25/1.

Tropical Beat for me too but have missed the 25's so took 20's. Think 2 mile on fast ground, hopefully a fast pace, on the turn should see him sail home late, ala Sergeant Cecil!. Like the booking of Sylvestre after Louis The Pious at Ascot too. The Irish horse is interesting too at 33's. Graham Lee booked early and trainer won on his only other visit here.

Quite like GLENARD forgive his last run as didnt like the soft ground

stall 22 of 22 for V P very tough from that stall
Shame fancied him to go close on Sat.

Waited until Pique Sous was declared or not. Fancy Dark Emerald and Glenard,DE looked like a filly with a future in top staying races when winning the Melrose in a good clock and has clearly been laid out for the race given her 3 runs over 7.8&10 furlongs this year.Glenard has always looked like a horse who could win a big pot given a decent gallop as he  often looks a little keen to me.He ran fine at Chester from a poor draw(though raced mostly on the rail after being dropped in) and wouldn't have liked the softer ground but proved he stays well.Next time he lost a shoe before the start and wasn't knocked about so i'm ignoring that run plus Hills had a few out of sorts at the time but is going great guns now.They've both got decent draws and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out GL.

Only just looked at Dark Crusader, how much of a plot is this!?

I like the look of Totalize and have backed at 20/1, the trainer is pretty good at getting horses right for these sort of races. Scored a nice win at York over 2 miles and 5lb extra for that still keeps it in with a chance

tropical beat also in the car park - surely little chance from there?!

The draw isnt an issue as long as they go off quick as he is a hold up horse (though, admittedly, there are enough of those in the race but not all wont quick ground). Plenty of horses have placed or won from a high draw here - its not Chester after all. He will need to thread a way through but then thats why you book a decent jockey.

Strong support for Tropical Beat this evening. Pricewised??

I think dc might be p/w

Tropical Beat did seem to be sitting in behind  Van Percy  LTO  and will run a big race  but so will Van Percy who has just the Jockey for this kind of race , don' t like the draw but think he will beat most of them , so good e/w value imo

I think the theory about the draw is flawed, there may be a bias but it's not a big issue. Plenty drawn wide have won or placed. The key is always how close to the rail a horse can get, no harm in being 4 or 6 lengths back if you're not going wide

Well!! Im not one to criticise jockeys rides but dont think Sylvestre de Sousa covered himself in glory there. Thought it was a no brainer that he would take a pull and drop the horse in and chance his luck, just like the young lad did on the stables other runner. To get trapped out wide on a hold up horse was just plain stupid. He was always then struggling to get cover and - surprise surprise - got hampered twice on the bend trying to come right round the field. And there I was extolling his virtues when he goes and rides like that.
Doughnut.

Was always going to tough from that draw, but in any case the winner was different gravy. Looks the perfect horse for the Melbourne Cup.

He was different gravy but he stuck to the running rail and was always in the right position and the breaks come in this race if you hold your nerve - remember Alan Munro on Sergeant Cecil siting, suffering, taking a pull but eventually the gate opened and he slipped through it. Trying to be clever and tuck your horse in out wide simply never works here as the horse just never switches off and as mentioned by The Bloob earlier. Will have to wait for him to return to Haydock.

SDS was **** today IMO

It just goes to show what an awful ride Spencer gave Angel Gabriel in the Chester Cup!!! In fact I'd struggle to think of worse?? If a 7lb claimer had done it you couldn't forgive him. Spencer must have thought he was on Arazi Young George showed him how to do itFahey seems to have a knack with decent young jockeys, a top top man.

Yet another reason with its better to have a plum draw in these big field hcaps.
Winner was drawn low & had a great sit all the way round, unlike what he had at Chester.
To my eyes he had the race in the bag from some way out, comf winner in the end.