JenningsBet Northumberland Plate
Heritage Handicap,
Newcastle 15:15
£150,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus,
2m 56y, Class 2   
Saturday 28th June 2025

SureWIn

Last year’s winner Onesmoothoperator will have to shoulder significantly more this time round if he’s to deliver a repeat performance on the Tapeta at Newcastle – 12lb more, in fact – but trainer Brian Ellison believes his star stayer is stronger, sharper, and better than ever.

It’s been a memorable 12 months since the gelding handed Ellison a personal career highlight by landing the ‘Pitmen’s Derby’, a race the County Durham native has long held close to his heart. Since then, Onesmoothoperator has been on a bit of a world tour – lifting the Geelong Cup, running a creditable twelfth in the Melbourne Cup, and holding his own against elite company in Dubai.

“He’s in good form and we’ve trained him for this again,” said Ellison. “Yes, he’s got more weight this time – 9st 10lb – but we’re very happy with him. He didn’t quite get the right setups in Dubai, they just dawdled round, but his runs in Australia were excellent.”

Indeed, form lines offer encouragement. He wasn’t far off Kalpana at Kempton before heading down under and kept close tabs on Dubai Future, who recently took third in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

“We freshened him up, took him away to Southwell a couple of weeks ago – all has gone to plan,” Ellison added. Connor Beasley once again gets the leg-up.

He sits second in the weights behind Prydwen (9st 12lb), trained by George Scott, after a record 62 horses stood their ground at the confirmation stage – with just 20 allowed to post.

Chester Cup scorer East India Dock could reappear quickly, having run in the Ascot Stakes last week, while Willie Mullins has both Pappano and Too Bossy For Us still engaged.

Others to note include Andrew Balding’s promising Who’s Glen, Golden Rules – who was runner-up two years ago and recently returned at Kempton for Tom Faulkner – and the improving Godsend for Sir Mark Prescott, who rarely aims without a purpose.

It’s shaping up to be a typically competitive renewal – and if Onesmoothoperator is to double up, he’ll need to show he’s not just smoother, but stronger too.

FormRatings

JenningsBet Northumberland Plate
(Heritage Handicap)
£150,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 2m 56y, Class 2
62 entries
Going: Standard

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 -64P00 Prydwen 7 9-12 George Scott
2 05-735 Onesmoothoperator 7 9-10 Brian Ellison
3 /11166 Roaring Legend 5 9-8 Hugo Palmer
4 7-5410 Lavender Hill Mob 4 9-3 James Owen
5 314-16 East India Dock 4 9-2 James Owen
6 58513- Pappano 4 9-1 W P Mullins
7 6945-8 Imperial Sovereign 4 9-1 Philip Kirby
8 711653 Faylaq 9 9-1 Jim Goldie
9 12-210 Manxman 5 9-0 Simon & Ed Crisford
10 11-430 Duke Of Oxford 5 9-0 Michael Bell
11 215-25 Who's Glen 4 8-12 Andrew Balding
12 /366-7 Zanndabad 6 8-12 A J Martin
13 03-120 Mr Hampstead 4 8-10 Raphael E Freire
14 1-1250 Charging Thunder 7 8-10 James Owen
15 03-400 Intinso 5 8-10 Craig Lidster
16 426014 Asgard's Captain 5 8-10 Dylan Cunha
17 4/12/4 Golden Rules 8 8-9 Thomas Faulkner
18 /43/0- Shajak 6 8-8 James Owen
19 13284- Too Bossy For Us 4 8-8 W P Mullins
20 10-572 Spirit Mixer 7 8-8 Andrew Balding
21 313-43 Dancing In Paris 5 8-8 Ian Williams
22 11-167 Alrazeen 4 8-7 Gay Kelleway
23 12-229 Tribal Star 4 8-7 Adrian McGuinness
24 250-30 Vaguely Royal 5 8-6 Anthony Charlton
25 /100/5 Zinc White 7 8-6 Ian Williams
26 2111-1 Godsend 4 8-6 Sir Mark Prescott Bt
27 1212-4 Contacto 4 8-5 Andrew Balding
28 41/4D5 Anzac Day 4 8-5 Andrew Balding
9 32-763 Sheradann 5 8-5 Ian Williams
30 614732 Humble Spark 5 8-4 Jim Goldie
31 083-14 Brosna Town 4 8-3 D K Weld
32 22/4-2 Blindedbythelights 5 8-3 Sir Mark Prescott Bt
33 4/212/ Turnpike Trip 11 8-2 C Byrnes
34 1-2813 Gibside 6 8-2 Tim Easterby
35 442-98 Morning Air 4 8-1 Venetia Williams
36 323110 Midnight Lion 5 8-1 Jim Goldie
37 -21333 Artisan Dancer 5 8-1 Charlie Johnston
38 205-01 Tryfan 4 7-12 Harry Charlton
39 717-22 Surrey Belle 5 7-11 Adrian Paul Keatley
40 -63448 Sea Legend 5 7-10 Jim Goldie
41 -07407 Letsbefrank 5 7-9 Jim Goldie
42 845-49 Zimmerman 6 7-9 Tim Easterby
43 47-751 Caprelo 4 7-9 5ex Hughie Morrison
44 713-85 Churchella 5 7-8 Philip Kirby
45 022-89 Jack McNamara 5 7-8 Simon Pearce
46 41-122 Savrola 6 7-8 Dianne Sayer
47 5-1152 Weddell Sea 7 7-7 Mike Sowersby
48 544435 Dreams Adozen 5 7-7 Charlie Johnston
49 7006-5 Law Of The Sea 7 7-7 Ian Williams
50 3212-1 Hardy Bloke 8 7-6 Brian Ellison
51 92-468 Alnayef 4 7-6 Jim Goldie
52 7-5450 Clansman 7 7-5 Liam Bailey
53 271651 Show No Fear 5 7-4 5ex Rebecca Menzies
54 34-099 Pralognan 6 7-3 A J Martin
55 4-3672 Tailorman 5 7-2 Ian Williams
56 942336 Golden Flame 7 7-1 Thomas Faulkner
57 47-212 Marbuzet 6 7-1 Tim Easterby
58 625600 Cascade Hall 6 6-12 Jim Goldie
59 331238 Agathon 5 6-11 Rebecca Menzies
60 0007-3 Secret Rock 6 6-11 A J Martin
61 0845-4 Young Lucy 6 6-2 A J Martin
62 8-1315 Bruce Banner 3 5-4 Rebecca Menzies