NEWCASTLE has its big day in the sun this afternoon with the Northumberland Plate and consolation event on what looks a cracking card.

Both races have maximum fields of 20 with the main event at 3.30 with the weights headed by Champions Stayers’ winner Trueshan (off a mark of 113) and the bottom-weight running off 92, so this is a truly cracking renewal.

Second in the rearranged Sagaro Stakes last year, Mildenberger carries second top-weight equating to a mark of 111 with Rainbow Dreamer off 110 and then a big 8lbs gap and more to the rest of the field.

Lucky Deal, 5lbs higher for his win over the course and distance last year, has to be a player with his regular rider Andrew Breslin on board, but the best value play here, at an each-way price, could well be another course and distance winner ISLAND BRAVE.

The now seven-year-old gets to race off exactly the same mark again following that half a length win from Australis and he was far from disgraced in the Ascot Stakes over two-and-a-half miles last week.

On that occasion he was forced to race very wide, giving away plenty of ground, and a smoother passage here from stall 14 could see him leave that form well behind off this very playable mark.

The consolation event at 2.55 is also fully booked and this looks a cracking chance for the unexposed four-year-old ZEEBAND to make his mark at this level.

The Roger Varian-trained runner didn’t race as a juvenile but won two from five as a three-year-old in his debut season, improving as he was given a stiffer test of stamina.

On his one run this season, he ran a cracking third of seven behind Global Storm on a fairly testing surface when looking in need of the outing. Only a pound higher here and with a first time visor on to enable him to settle better, he could take another significant step forward here.

His main rivals could come in the form of the lightly weighted and now well handicapped outsider Al Kout, the in-form multiple all-weather winner Indigo Times and recent Yarmouth victor Byron Hill.

Elsewhere on the card, I fancy both MAJOR JUMBO (nb) in the big six furlong handicap at 1.45 and KHAADEM in the following Chipchase Stakes at 2.20, a race the first selection would normally be running in.

However, the now seven-year-old has been badly out of form of late having dropped from a rating of 108 to 95, but the icing on the cake is that Kevin Ryan has engaged 7lbs claimer Oisin McSweeney to take his mark right down to 88. If he manages to show anything like his best form then he would be absolutely chucked in off his mark and could well be one of the gambles on the card.

It is also worth noting that it was only 12 months ago that he finished under two lengths third to Judicial in the Chipchase and his form figures at the track read 123.

Fourth in both the Golden Jubilee and July Stakes last year, Khaadem has looked a bit lacklustre on his three starts this year with the main problem being him running way too freely in the opening exchanges.

However, there is plenty of pace on in this field and I am hoping that the five-year-old will be able to settle and finally show his true ability. The all-weather specialist Diligent Harry, withdrawn from the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot because of the soft ground, looks a huge player, but all of his runs have come at Lingfield or Wolverhampton and this Tapeta track is far stiffer than those two venues.

With heavy showers predicted, the ground at Chester looks as though it will have some give in it and that will certainly suit BIRKENHEAD in the five furlong handicap at 5.40.

The four-year-old has twice recently run poorly here off marks of 77 and 75, but will return to the Cheshire track on the back of a cracking run at Nottingham with an unlucky in running fourth of nine beaten less than two lengths by Saluti. 

And if you go back far enough (August ‘20) he finished a fair second off here off 83 and now gets to race off a mark of 68 which is why I fancy he will outrun his currently available double figure price.

Elsewhere, MISSION BOY (Windsor 1.55) could also outrun his big odds on ground that suits in a competitive extended mile handicap at 1.55, while LAAFY (nap) has been given a real chance by the assessor even off top-weight in the mile and three furlong handicap due off at 4.10 in which he probably has the well handicapped Koeman to worry about most.