Alex Hammond blog: Northumberland Plate 25/1 pick from Andrew Balding team and Royal Ascot reflections

Adjuvant, Post Impressionist and Aztec Empire feature in Saturday's JenningsBet Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, live on Sky Sports Racing; Alex Hammond reflects on a big week at Royal Ascot and looks ahead to Sunday's Irish Derby

Alex Hammond

Racing Expert & Columnist

Thursday 29 June 2023 16:59, UK

Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond reflects on her week's work at Royal Ascot and looks ahead to Saturday's big race at Newcastle, the Northumberland Plate...

Royal Ascot was a blast. It's the toughest week of the year for most of the people working at the meeting, but the best. It's an incredible honour to be involved with such an iconic event from one of the best seats in the house.

The Royal meeting is completely unique and I find that whatever else is happening in the world over those five days, it completely passes me by. More than ever this year I felt immensely lucky to be involved with the event for our brilliant team at Sky Sports Racing. I hope you enjoyed the coverage too.

There were many special moments over the five days, but a few stood out. I'm still scratching my head at the performance of Shaquille in Friday's Commonwealth Cup. How on earth did he win in such good style having almost taken Oisin Murphy's head off as the stalls opened?!

I must give mention to Holly Doyle who became the first female rider to win a Group One at the fixture, courtesy of her victory on Bradsell in the King's Stand Stakes. She went home with three winners at the end of the week and subsequently added another record to her outstanding achievements when winning the Carlisle Bell on Mostawaa. That win means she has now ridden a winner at every flat track in Britain. We are incredibly lucky to have her.

This weekend we are off to Newcastle for the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate, which was won by Doyle on Trueshan last year.

The Sky Bet market is headed by 9/2 shot Post Impressionist, for Royal Ascot winning trainer William Haggas and jockey Tom Marquand, who was on board Desert Hero for His Majesty The King for that historic victory. This horse has improver stamped all over him, but I think with Sky Bet paying seven places we can look for some each-way value.

Michael Bell has won this before and has snapped up Billy Loughnane to ride Adjuvant. Billy has a 36 per cent strike rate at Newcastle and the 3lb claim is unbelievable value. At 13/2 he may not appeal either.

Speaking of apprentice's value for their claim, Harry Davies still claims 3lb and he rides one of Andrew Balding's two runners. AZTEC EMPIRE may be 25/1, but it wouldn't be a bolt out of the blue for him to finish in one of those seven places. He missed the Chester Cup due to the testing ground and prior to that had run a modest race on soft ground at Newbury.

However, prior to that he was in good form on the all-weather and a return to an artificial surface will suit this relatively unexposed four-year-old. He's drawn wide but two of the last three winners have been posted out wide, so I'm not going to be put off by that. He's a promising young stayer who should still be on the upgrade.

Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is all about Derby winner Auguste Rodin, who is 1/3 favourite with Sky Bet to go with his Epsom win. The Irish Classic doesn't look to be extremely competitive on paper, but what happens after the race at the Curragh is when things get exciting.

Can you envisage a King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot next month with Auguste Rodin, Emily Upjohn, Pyledriver, Soul Sister, Hukum, King Of Steel, Adayar and Desert Crown, among others? Ascot continues to serve up some summer treats.