Tote Placepot tips for Newcastle on Saturday: Jack Nicol's selections

We're off to for this weekend's Tot Placepot as Gosforth Park gears up to host their feature Summer meeting, with the historic Northumberland Plate taking centre stage on Saturday afternoon.

I've got a perm consisting of 48 lines to consider. Best of luck with whatever you're playing on in Saturday's Placepot.

It's a tricky start to proceedings as 20 runners are set to head to post in this opening six furlong handicap.

I'd always prefer to be drawn high on Newcastle's straight course but all the pace looks to be drawn low here and I suspect they might come up the middle of the track.  

That's beneficial for my first selection,

Wiltshire

, who is drawn in stall 6 and should appreciate the expected fast pace. The four-year-old looked good when winning on stable debut at Newbury back in April but disappointed over the same course-and-distance a few weeks later. The Haggas stable had a patchy time of things in May and early-June but have really turned the corner over the last fortnight or so and I'd expect much better from here. He still looks to have a good bit in hand from a mark of 95.

Batal Dubai won this last year and has to be respected from a 1lb higher mark but the second pick goes to

City House

, with the three-year-old showing all his best form on the All-Weather to date and still looks progressive for trainer James Fanshawe. This stiff six furlongs should suit him ideally.

Selections: Wiltshire (5) and City House (13).

The Chipchase Stakes is next up and some classy sprinters are on show in this Group 3 event, with multiple Group 1-winner Kinross adding significant interest to the race with the seven-year-old making his seasonal reappearance having bypassed Royal Ascot last week.

Naturally, we have to start with Ralph Beckett's superstar, who is likely to go off as favourite, and it is worth noting that he has only been out of the placings once in his last 12 starts, and that came on his seasonal return in 2023. With that in mind, Kinross just has to be opposed here from a Placepot perspective and I'm taking two selections to get him out of the frame. 

Firstly, comes another Group 1 performer and that is Karl Burke's Spycatcher. The gelding took his form to another level last season, placing twice in Group 1 contests, and is of obvious interest considering his consistent All-Weather profile, which includes a second in this race last year.

I also have no problems with taking Albasheer, with Archie Watson's six-year-old backing up just a week after running in the Wokingham. While he was only 18th last weekend, he ran a lot better than his finishing position suggests having been stopped in his run on more than one occasion. He's clearly come out of the race well and generally looks to be a better performer on a synthetic surface. 

With two wins from four starts here at Gosforth Park, you just can't leave him out of your Placepot.

Selections: Albasheer (1) and Spycatcher (9). 

The Nortumberland Vase, the consolation for the feature race, gives the stayers further down the handicap a chance to shine and I like the look of

Alphonse Le Grande

here. The five-year-old was popular in the ante-post markets for the Plate but missed out by three at declarations but can gain ample compensation in this weaker contest. 

The son of Sea The Stars has won impressively on his last two starts, most notably at Chester last time when travelling strongly throughout and picking up well to win in good style. The handicapper has given him another hike in the weights but I think he still has a bit in hand from a mark of 81 and it's very tough to see him out of the frame here.

Selection: Alphonse Le Grande (3).

With just one selection taken in leg three it gives scope for a few selections in the ultra-competitive Nortumberland Plate.

From a tactical point of view, I don't see too much pace on offer here and I think it pays to be prominent in this race as, once they've settled into their racing positions entering the back straight, the leaders tend to take a pull before sprinting again once in the home straight.

I'd therefore be wanting to take one who's going to be up there throughout and the ideal type looks to be the progressive Trooper Bisdee for Sir Mark Prescott. The four-year-old has been prominent or made the running when winning four of his last five starts and has a good draw in stall 10 to secure a prominent position as they approach the first bend.

At a much bigger price,

Forza Orta

is of interest for in-form trainer Kevin Ryan and he sneaks in at the foot of the weights. The six-year-old has generally been progressive to date but still looks unexposed over staying trips, and I think his turn of foot could be a key weapon here. He's had excuses in his three starts so far this season but I think he's at his best on a galloping track, as show when winning at York last year, and I think he could be a good differential for Placepot purposes on his All-Weather debut.

Finally, Zoffee looks a rock-solid play in terms of a place. He arrives here in top form on the back of his Chester Cup victory and already boasts excellent course-and-distance form having won the consolation here in 2022. A mark of 94 may ask a question in terms of winning again but is clearly thriving at present and must be thereabouts if arriving in the same form.

Selections: Zoffee (4), Trooper Bisdee (14) and Forza Orta (18).

A strong pace is likely here for this trappy seven furlong handicap.

That should suit Richard Fahey's

Zip

, with the eight-year-old boasting three course-and-distance victories to his name and generally just a model of consistency. Second in this race last year from a mark of 90, he's 4lb lower this time around and is sure to run his race once again.

It's fair to say Zip is exposed with 67 career starts to his name and therefore you'd attribute unexposed to

Local Hero

, who'll be making just his fifth career outing here for trainer Richard Hannon. The colt is sure to be popular among local punters due to his name but has won twice to date, including last time out at Kempton, and is drawn well to strike on the near-side rail. 

Selections: Zip (9), and (12).

A tricky finale with the two-year-olds on show in leg six and most will be attracted to likely favourite, Invited. The Kodiac colt has shown a good level of form in two starts, including when chasing home a previous winner last time out, but this will be his third start in just 16 days and I'd be inclined to take him on, especially as he takes a marked drop back from seven furlongs to the minimum distance here.

Invited may prove to be a class apart but Placepot punters are urged to monitor the market, particularly on debutant

Dutch Finale

, and any strong moves have to be noted. George Boughey's colt has a fast and precocious profile and it'd be no surprise to see him primed to run a huge race on racecourse introduction. Boughey has 13 winners from 54 juvenile starts so far this season.

Ardennes

built nicely on a good debut effort to win at Salisbury and the form looks good with the runner-up winning subsequently. It'll be a tough ask to win under a 5lb penalty but that is some of the standout form on offer here and I really liked the way he responded once challenged last time out.

Selections:  (1) and Dutch Finale (6).