Architect Tips has two selections on day 1 of the Northumberland Plate Festival at Newcastle.
15:10 Newcastle
PENZANCE (best price 9/2) looks to have plenty going for him in this event. He’s shaped better than the finishing positions have indicated on his last three starts, including when fifth of 13 in the Thirsk Hunt Cup off a mark of 97, and ran well when sixth in the Zetland Gold Cup last time out.
He’s a C&D winner and only found one too good over track and trip when second off a 5lb higher mark to Elegant Man in a deeper race back in March 2024. All in all, Mick Appleby’s charge has leading claims with plenty of positives to draw upon and is a decent each-way price.
15:45 Newcastle
This is very competitive, but I’ll take a chance on MR PROFESSOR (best price 18/1), who shaped very encouragingly when fifth at the Derby Festival at Epsom last time out.
That race has been a very good pointer for this event, as it’s produced the most winners (three in total) and he was the only one of these to have run in it.
The six-year-old has his quirks, but he’s back on the same mark as when winning last year’s Lincoln at Doncaster in dominant style.
His last three runs on the all-weather haven’t been great, but he’s very well handicapped again now, and AMO Racing have rarely sent a runner here in the last couple of years.
