Newcastle selections Saturday 27th June
It is the big day of the year in the North East, Plate day at Newcastle and I have two selections for the big race, headed by a horse trained by a veteran handler who has yet to win one of the big staying prizes in the calendar despite many attempts. I also have two for the following sprint, horses proven over this course and distance. Calico Blue was placed (SP 22/1) in the previous column at Royal Ascot.
Newcastle 3.15: Synergism & Aqwaam
Trainer Mark Prescott has won plenty of the big staying handicaps in the calendar in his very long career, but never the Plate. However SYNERGISM can right that wrong today.
He showed a terrific aptitude for the All Weather, winning three times on an artificial surface last season, and moreover proved his stamina for 2m by winning twice over the distance as a mere 3yo. He should be a stronger individual now he is four and he warmed up for this by winning a small turf race at Lingfield. A horse who is able to take up a good early position, he could be well placed in a race that does not look over endowed with front-runners.
At huge odds it might be worth a small each-way play on AQWAAM. It will be a big ask to win on only his second start of the season having missed the whole of the 2025 campaign. He shaped well enough on his first start since the 2024 Cesarewitch when reappearing at Kempton last month, but got understandably tired late on.
That run at Newmarket was arguably a career best when third from today’s mark of 90, that run coming off the back of a sixth in the Chester Cup. However this horse has raced much of his career on an artificial surface with three wins and four runners-up positions in twelve starts. If he is anywhere near his best he can give punters a decent run.
Newcastle 3.45: Fivethousandtoone & Tuco Salamanca
A horse who has already done us a favour in this very race, FIVETHOUSANDTOONE returns to his favoured course and distance.
He won this race for us at 25/1 last year, producing a typical strong late finish to get up close home. There is no doubt this 8yo is best on an All Weather surface and this straight, stiff 6f seems to play to his strengths. He has returned to this venue twice since, finishing third in a good race in January before another excellent effort to be second on All Weather finals day on Good Friday.
Since then he has produced two modest efforts on turf, despite his lower rating, but a return to this venue will surely see him more competitive. A low draw means he should get a clear run to produce that late run again. Indeed he comes out of stall 2 – the very same draw as last season.
Another horse building a similar profile is TUCO SALAMANCA a good winner from the back of the field at Kempton in the spring. Since then we have seen him just the once when a respectable sixth at the York Ebor meeting,
However he looks another who is best on an artificial surface and on his last visit here, he won a Racing League race last August, taking his AW record to 5-9 and his track record to 2-3 (his one defeat was when enduring terrible luck in running on AW finals day last year. Being drawn in 3 will also help to lessen the chances of him getting stuck in behind today.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Synergism – 3.15 Newcastle – 10/1 Bet365, Unibet (1/5 odds 1st 5)
0.5pts each-way – Aqwaam – 3.15 Newcastle – 50/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Fivethousandtoone – 3.45 Newcastle – 14/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Tuco Salamanca – 3.45 Newcastle – 5/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
