Keenes Day given Plate go-ahead

Keenes Day looks set to be Mark Johnston's main contender for Saturday's Northumberland Plate after the Middleham handler effectively ruled out Royal Ascot runner-up Record Breaker.Keenes Day finished a well-beaten ninth when sent off favourite for the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles."I wouldn't think Record Breaker will run. He's in there, and I'll think about it, but I think it's possibly asking a bit much," said Johnston."He is very well, but we have other fish to fry and we'll probably give him a bit more time."It was a good run at Ascot and he's clearly improving."We are thinking of Newcastle for Keenes Day, who maybe did not have such quite a hard race. He's in great form and he never really got into it at Ascot as he was always on the outside."David Pipe's Royal Rationale was beaten just a length into third in the Ascot Stakes and will return to action at Newcastle, should he make the cut."He'd only run over nine furlongs on the Flat before Royal Ascot, but he was out of a Slip Anchor mare so he did have some staying in his pedigree," Pipe told At The Races."We thought we'd give it a go and it very nearly came off. He'll go to Newcastle if he gets in but, unfortunately, I don't think he will. He's gone up 3lb for the Ascot run but it might not be enough."He's very versatile and he's got a great attitude so he could go back over hurdles and he will go chasing at some stage. We'll probably give him an entry in the Cesarewitch and have a look at that."