Angel Gabrial wins Northumberland Plate

John Smith's Northumberland Plate
Heritage Handicap, Newcastle £140,000 added, 3yo plus, 2m 19y, Class 2
Saturday 28th June 2014

1 Angel Gabrial 4/1F
2 Suegioo 12/1
3 Repeater 28/1
4 Noble Silk 14/1
NR: Nearly Caught (IRE)
19 ran Distances: 3½l, 2½l, shd
TIME 3m 28.96s (slow by 2.96s)

Double for Dr Marwan Koukash as Angel Gabrial wins the Northumberland Plate from Suegioo.

Winning trainer Richard Fahey says: "I'm absolutely delighted. It's one of those races you just want to put on your CV."

Angel Gabrial
© Grossick Racing Photography

Angel Gabrial justified strong support to give North Yorkshire trainer Richard Fahey his first John Smith's Northumberland Plate success at Newcastle.

Apprentice George Chaloner produced his mount to head the long-time leader Ardlui inside the final furlong and complete a Gosforth Park treble for Fahey.

The 4-1 favourite veered to the right close home, but he had plenty in hand as he reversed Chester Cup form with Suegioo (12-1), giving owner Dr Marwan Koukash a one-two in this prestigious two-mile handicap.

The winning margin was three and a half lengths, with Repeater (28-1) staying on from last place to take third, some two and a half lengths away. Noble Silk (14-1) was fourth.

Chaloner, who won the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last Saturday aboard the Fahey-trained Baccarat, said: "It's been an unbelievable couple of weeks.

"He's given me a peach of a ride round there. I just tried to let him settle and keep him happy. I couldn't have wished for it to have gone any better. We didn't want to get killed early on, but he's travelled well and picked up lovely."

Fahey added: "I'm absolutely delighted - we're having a fantastic time at the moment. It's one of them races you want to put on your CV and it was never in doubt. He's pretty talented and he does pick up."

The handler has not ruled out a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup with Angel Gabrial, whose owner has always had grand designs on winning Australia's showcase race.

Fahey went on: "Most two-milers like him don't have a turn of foot, but he does.

"I was delighted when I saw the draw on Thursday, and everything went right, it very rarely does. He maybe got to the front a bit soon because he can run around a bit. Any two-miler that can quicken up like him, though, will always win races.

"George has had a good week, but then we all have. Marwan will probably be thinking about Melbourne now. Whether he'd get in, I don't know, but I'd love to have a runner out there, he's that sort of horse."

John Smith's Northumberland Plate
(Heritage Handicap)
£140,000 added, 3yo plus, 2m 19y, Class 2
19 ran
Going: Good to Firm

	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	SP Distance
1	Angel Gabrial R A Fahey	George Chaloner 9st 1lbs	4 - 1 Winner
2	Suegioo M Botti	M Harley 9st 4lbs	12 - 1 3 1/2 lengths
3	Repeater D O'Meara	Sam James 9st 7lbs	28 - 1 2 1/2 lengths
4	Noble Silk Mrs L Wadham	P Mulrennan 9st 0lbs	14 - 1 Short Head
5	Ardlui T D Easterby	D Allan 8st 10lbs	20 - 1 Nose
6	Oriental Fox M Johnston	J Fanning 9st 10lbs	8 - 1 1/2 length
7	Totalize B Ellison	R Winston 8st 10lbs	9 - 1 1/2 length
8	Glenard C Hills	G Gibbons 8st 10lbs	18 - 1 1 1/4 length
9	Van Percy A M Balding	Oisin Murphy 9st 0lbs	9 - 1 3 3/4 lengths
10	Dark Crusader A J Martin	D Sweeney 9st 0lbs	9 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
11	Sir Ector J J Lambe	G Lee 9st 6lbs	22 - 1 4 lengths
12	Lucky Bridle W P Mullins	P Hanagan 9st 2lbs	8 - 1 3/4 length
13	Boite P W Chapple-Hyam	Jordan Nason 9st 2lbs	40 - 1 1 length
14	Tropical Beat D O'Meara	S De Sousa 9st 2lbs	14 - 1 1 3/4 length
15	Buthelezi B Ellison	T Eaves 9st 0lbs	33 - 1 6 lengths
16	Agreement J J Quinn	I J Brennan 8st 10lbs	66 - 1 6 lengths
17	Big Thunder Sir Mark Prescott	Luke Morris 9st 3lbs	14 - 1 9 lengths
18	Mawaqeet D McCain Jnr	P McDonald 8st 10lbs	33 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
19	Waterclock Jedd O'Keeffe	R Kennemore 8st 9lbs	66 - 1 18 lengths
NR	Nearly Caught H Morrison	Adrian Nicholls 9st 5lbs	-