Gosforth Park racecourse will stage its leading flat meeting of the season this weekend, as the 2025 Northumberland Plate Festival gets underway.
Three days of Geordie hospitality accompany the running of 21 races, one of which is Britain’s richest two-mile handicap – the Northumberland Plate.
Ran on the final day of the meeting, it is the showpiece event awarding prize money worth £150,000.
This year’s renewal will see local trainer Brian Ellison look to emulate his success in last year’s race.
For exclusive stories and all the detailed Racing news you need, subscribe to the Racing Ahead website, digital edition, or magazine from as little as 8p a day.
Impressive victory
After being ridden off the pace, Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator cruised down the outside of the field and powered to a 2.5-length victory to win the Geordie his first Northumberland Plate.
He has raced eight times since, though five of his last six runs have come overseas – in Australia – where he won the Group Three Geelong Cup and was fifth in the Group Two Melbourne Cup and in Dubai – featuring credible efforts in Group races.
His runs since last year also include a fourth-placed effort behind Tattersalls Gold Cup third and Ascot Group One winner Kalpana.
In good form
Ellison said: “He’s in good form and he’s obviously been trained for the race again.
“The races in Dubai didn’t suit him as there’s no pace, but he ran great in Australia and I think he’s a better horse now.
“He wasn’t beaten too far by Kalpana at Kempton before Australia and he was close enough to Dubai Future in Dubai, who was third in the Gold Cup last week.
“He’s been away to Southwell a couple of weeks ago after we’d freshened him up and Connor Beasley will ride him again.”
Ellison’s stable-star trades at 8/1 for a repeat success.
Another one of last year’s protagonists is Duke Of Oxford, who looked as though he was coming to win the race.
Trainer Michael Bell’s horse raced wide around the turn and sauntered up to head the field, whilst on the bridle, before finishing third.
Kempton success
His runs since last year have featured a good effort behind Chester Cup and Copper Horse Stakes second Caballo De Mar as well as two wins at Kempton.
Although he has never won at the course, he boasts form figures of 3234 and is a potential each-way angle for punters to look at – trading at 14/1.
However, at the top of the market are two horses that finished in the first five in the Chester Cup.
The former is the favourite, Who’s Glen, who will arrive seven weeks on from his fifth-placed effort, which was his second of two runs this season.
The first came at Kempton where he was second in another Class Two (two-mile) Handicap.
Trading at 6/1, he represents a live chance for his trainer – currently third behind Aidan O’Brien and John/Thady Gosden in the British Champion Trainer Standings – to win his first Northumberland Plate.
The other is East India Dock, who has seen himself back on the flat after finishing third to the Willie Mullins-trained – 100/1 outsider – Poniros, in the Triumph Hurdle.
Showpiece event
After winning Chester’s showpiece event, trainer James Owen sent him to Royal Ascot where he finished sixth in the Class Two Ascot Stakes.
He was originally priced at around 6/1 to win the Northumberland Plate, but went as high as 16/1 after his run at Ascot led many to believe he would be withdrawn.
The aforementioned Caballo De Mar suffered that exact fate, after he was around 7/1 to win this race.
However, Owen’s horse remains in the race and has since halved in price from 16/1 to 8/1.
Mullins himself could be doubly represented in Newcastle.
Domination
The 19-time Irish Champion National Hunt Trainer is more famous for his domination over obstacles, though he did train a winner at Royal Ascot last week.
Pappano and Too Bossy For Us are due to represent his yard and are both priced at 7/1 to take the Northumberland Plate over the Irish Sea.
The pair have clashed twice before, first at Haydock last year – where they finished fifth and second in a Class Two Handicap – before meeting again in the Triumph Hurdle.
Pappano is an ex-recruit of the Gosdens and reverts to the flat after being pulled up in that race on his first outing for Mullins, whilst Too Bossy For Us finished seventh in what was his first of two runs over obstacles since joining Mullins.
The latter came in the Grade One Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle, at Punchestown, and he finished a distant-fifth.
Another horse in contention, according to the market, is Golden Rules.
Unknown Quantity
This eight-year-old gelding is very much an unknown quantity, given that he has raced only nine times in his career and only once since 2023.
Though they span over a four-year period, his last four runs have featured a win in a Class Three Handicap, as well as a second in and two fourths in Class Two contests – one at this course.
He trades at 10/1 to win the Northumberland Plate.
The action will get underway at 3:05pm on Saturday, June 28, and it will be broadcasted live – for free – on terrestrial TV by ITV.
Sky Sports subscribers can tune in on Sky Sports Racing, on channel 415.
By Callum Close
READ MORE: Northumberland Plate Festival 2025 – Dates, how to watch on TV, trainers and jockeys to watch
