Forest fired up for Plate raid

Connections of Friston Forest are optimistic of a big run from the top of the handicap in the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.The five-year-old, formerly trained in France by Andre Fabre, touched off Veracity to score on his first appearance for Godolphin at Nad Al Sheba in February and made a pleasing British debut at York when failing by just a short head to give 3lb to Caracciola.Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "He's come back very well after his last race and he's in good form. We think the distance will suit him and we think he will run a big race."Som Tala, fifth in last week's Ascot Stakes, takes his chance for the Mick Channon team."He's always had his problems, and I've been bemoaning the lack of respite he's received from the handicapper for quite a while," the West Ilsley trainer told www.mickchannon.tv."They've dropped him 4lb for his run in the Ascot Stakes and he's in off his old mark at Newcastle. It might not seem logical but as he came out of Ascot better than he's done from any previous race."