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THE north-east takes pride of place on Saturday with the Northumberland Plate Handicap over the stamina sapping two miles, while it is also nice to see a full field for the consolation race some 35 minutes earlier.

And with £150,000 of prize money up for grabs for the main event at 3.15, inevitably the quality of stayer remains at a very high level with no less than five runners rated 95 or higher and 13 of the 20 runner-field on 90 plus.

Beaten some nine-and-three-quarter lengths by Spirit Mixer in this feature contest 12 months ago when a never nearer 11th of the 20 runners, I am sure that the shrewd Tony Martin will be looking for a breakneck gallop to bring the old boy ZANNDABAD into contention late on.

That was also the case in the Chester Cup last month when Clifford Lee once again bided his time with him, but with such a moderate pace on, the seven-year-old had absolutely no chance of picking up his rivals after being backed from 25/1 into 11/1, some 48 hours prior to that extended two-and-a-quarter-mile event. 

There is certainly nothing wrong with his current rating of 90, his lowest ever since coming over to Ireland from France and all he needs in my book is an end-to-end gallop to bring the field back to him in the closing three furlongs. His draw in 18 is of no consequence as he has to be held up in his races.

There are of course plenty of dangers among the other 19 runners and the two I would pick out worthy of close consideration are Synergism and Bahadur, both at double figure prices.

The former was a half-a-length second to Sax Appeal in the below-quoted race and maybe hasn’t found the improvement I thought he would do since then. However, I think that this big race scenario will suit him. Bahadur could never get into the race over the two and a half miles of the Ascot Stakes last week and as a result didn’t really have a hard time of things. Three wins from four starts on the all-weather and with only 11 races under rules, this will be just his third start over two miles plus and he could yet have more in his staying locker.

The consolation race looks just as tricky with £75,000 in the purse and the former Aidan O’Brien trained Chemistry is an interesting player, having reached a rating of 103 with the Ballydoyle maestro. Now with Jennie Candlish after a first venture over hurdles, he has now come down to a mark of 88. He hasn’t always struck me as the out-and-out stayer type, but if there is money in the market place for him then I would pay heed.

My two against the big field are course and distance winner Savrola and FAST FRED (2.40). The selection was behind another of Saturday’s runners, Sax Appeal, last August, but the race seemed to favour those closer to the pace and after being held up in rear off just a moderate pace, his move from the three-furlong marker took its toll inside the final 180 yards or so. 

A 4lbs turnaround at the weights should see them much closer here, but even more of a factor is bound to be the hotter end to end gallop, so Sam James can hide him away in midfield and slowly make his way through the pack from the home turn and down the long stretch. Trainer Philip Makin has his team in fine form and can follow his nice winner at Carlisle midweek with his biggest training success this afternoon.

As far as the rest of the card is concerned, the Chipchase Stakes at 2.10 look a wide open affair with no outstanding candidate, so the value play could be with HEAVENLY HEATHER who ran an absolute blinder to finish a never nearer sixth of 26 in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, when the chestnut mare was badly outpaced in the middle of the race before running on very strongly inside the final quarter, eventually being beaten a closing length and a half. A stall sit in box number nine looks perfect and the cream on the cake is that she has a course and distance win to her name as well.

The class two, six-furlong handicap at 3.45 has not surprisingly attracted a full field of 14 to go to post, with some familiar old names set to reoppose. Pocklington has never really fulfilled his earlier promise and his two course and distance runs this season have been like chalk and cheese, so the value pick in this hugely competitive 0-105 rated handicap may well be FIVETHOUSANDTOONE. 

The Tim Easterby charge has been slightly disappointing on the turf this season, hence his higher mark on sand, but based on his close up second to Wiltshire over the course and distance in April, he has outstanding claims at a double-figure price.

Elsewhere, CADARN (York, 1.55) could well outrun his price in the one-mile handicap having patently failed to get home over an extended mile-and-a-quarter here last time out. A mark of 82 looks very interesting having won off 81 and 85 at Redcar on the bounce at the same time last year on lightning fast ground.

NEVER SO BRAVE (2.58) can supplement his win at last year’s Ebor meeting in the City of York Stakes when he looks set to start a short favourite in the Group Three Criterion Stakes. The obvious danger has to be Saber Strike, who didn’t live up to expectations when a beaten favourite in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

The best wager on a competitive Chester card could well be RUBY’S ANGEL in the big six-furlong handicap at 3.03. As long as she can secure a clear run-up the inside by not giving away her stall one advantage, then she can supplement her win here off a 5lbs lower mark two outings back.