3 minute read
The Northumberland Plate takes centre stage at Newcastle on Saturday afternoon and punters have latched on to Golden Rules to land the prize as his price has tumbled overnight.
The Deborah Faulkner-trained contender was as big as 20/1 in places earlier this week and still a general 6/1 joint-favourite last night. However, sustained market support has seen the six-year-old touch as short at 11/4 in places to land the prestigious Cumbria handicap and he looks almost certain to go off the market leader come tomorrow afternoon.
A well-bred gelding by Golden Horn, he was bought for just 6,000gns out of the John and Thady Gosden yard at the Tattersalls Autumn Sale in 2021 and returned to action after a long absence to score in fine style at Kempton back in March.
Owner Gareth Cheshire shared his confidence when speaking to Sky Sports Racing Bob Cooper.
"It will win. I'm telling you now. Yep, get on it, it'll win."
"We need six to come out [at time of entries] and he'll run."
"We bought him from Mr Gosden. Minded him for 638 days and he won first-time-out at Kempton. Oisin rode him and if he gets in it will win."
"The problem I've got Robert is I'm in Ibiza on holiday and my wife doesn't know I'm flying back yet!"
The booking of three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who is yet to win a Northumberland Plate, also looks to have helped drive the gamble behind Deborah Faulkner's six-year-old.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield told Racing and Sports UK: "Deborah Faulkner may not yet be a household name, but if Golden Rules prevails in the Pitmen's Derby she'll be remembered by the bookies and an excitable North-east crowd.
"It was some training feat to get him to win at Kempton after 638 days off games and he is our best backed and worst result by a substantial margin with lots of punters rowing in behind owner Gareth Cheshire whose interview on Attheraces really hit a chord with them."
Favourites have won three of the last five renewals of the Northumberland Plate as likely market leader Golden Rules attempts to follow up Trueshan (3/1 F) remarkable weight-carrying performance last season.
