Plate set for Royal touch
Jun 2 2009 The Journal
THE North East’s showpiece horse race – the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate – may be something of a royal occasion this year.
The Queen is represented in the entries for the £180,000 race by her horse Free Agent. Until recently, the three-year-old was a possible runner in this weekend’s Derby after victory at Royal Ascot last year.
But now the Royal horse may head north for the richest two-mile handicap race in Europe, on Saturday, June 27. Free Agent is among 79 horses entered for the Plate, the climax of the three-day John Smith’s Northumberland Plate festival.
The field includes Cheltenham Festival winner Kayf Aramis, while the highest-rated entrant is Mad Rush.
North East racehorse owners Andrea and Graham Wylie haven’t hidden their ambition to win the Northumberland Plate one day. They are represented by Nosferatu and Falpiase.
The race, historically known as the Pitmen’s Derby, was won 12 months ago by Arc Bleu, which narrowly beat Halla San in a pulsating finish. Both horses are entered again. Mark Spincer, executive director of Newcastle Racecourse, said: “The entries for the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate are excellent, and we are already looking forward to a hugely competitive race which is also one of the biggest betting events of the year.
“There is quality and quantity in abundance and, were there to be a royal runner, it would add to an already thrilling occasion.”
Tickets for Plate day continue to sell well. Premier badges are all expected to be gone by the end of this week.
The racecourse emphasises that grandstand and paddock tickets can not only be bought in advance but will be available on the day.
It is anticipated the course’s 25,000 capacity will be reached on the Saturday with up to 50,000 people in total expected to attend the festival, which starts on the afternoon of Thursday, June 25 and continues the following evening.
l MORE details about racing at Newcastle Racecourse are available on the website www.newcastle-racecourse.co.uk or by calling 0191 236 2020.
