Bet of the day: Nakeeta to scoop Northumberland Plate at Newcastle
Published:
Jamie Clark, Editor | June 24, 2016
Coral’s bet of the day
- Nakeeta has won twice and been placed on three other occasions in last five runs
- All signs suggest close Chester Cup loss can be avenged
- Race rivals have real question marks over them
Nakeeta a value price for Northumberland Plate
Nakeeta looks to hold leading claims of landing a wide-open renewal of the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle (16:15) on Saturday.
Iain Jardine’s bay gelding has posted some terrific form in his last five starts, winning back-to-back contests at Haydock before the narrowest of defeats in the Chester Cup last time out.
The form of that race, from Nakeeta’s perspective at least, has a solid look with a number of race rivals battling him again on the All-Weather at the Tyneside venue.
No Heretic is no problem
While the winner, No Heretic, is among those who re-oppose here, that horse flopped massively when making a huge step up in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting just a couple of weeks ago.
Roger Varian’s Steve Rogers has been the ante post favourite in the build-up to the Northumberland Plate, but was way down in 12th on No Heretic and Nakeeta in the Chester Cup. There is little justification for his price, then.
Given that disappointment and No Heretic finding Royal Ascot way beyond him, there is every chance Nakeeta can reverse the placings from earlier in the season at Chester and win.
Now officially rated 96 by the BHA, Nakeeta is carrying 1lb lighter than No Heretic, and that should be enough to avenge the agonising short-head loss when last up against one another.
Fahey pair must find more
Top weight Gang Warfare may find the 2m trip too far, with most of his career wins over a shorter distance.
Also in the field is 2014 Northumberland Plate winner Angel Gabrial, but the Richard Fahey horse has failed to earn another victory in a staggering 16 runs since.
Stablemate and half-brother Gabrial The Hero has two-and-a-half-lengths to find on Chester Cup form to be a contender.
Ebor winner Polarisation no longer in-form
Charlie Appleby duo Antiquarium and Polarisation have never won over this distance, with the latter taking a downturn in form since scooping the Melrose Stakes at last year’s Ebor Festival at York.
Amanda Perrett’s Arch Villain may represent the main danger, as he has been lightly-raced over the last two years, but is a course specialist at Lingfield and finished eighth on his only Newcastle appearance in the 2013 Northumberland Plate.
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