Valiancy set for quick return to action in Northumberland Plate
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 22 Jun 2026
Valiancy, a beaten favourite at Royal Ascot last week, could turn out quickly in the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday.
Trained by William Haggas, the Wathnan Racing-owned four-year-old finished sixth of 16 in the Copper Horse Stakes behind Daiquiri Bay and is one of 66 left in the historic contest.
Richard Hughes’ Circus Of Rome, Cesarewitch winner Beylerbeyi, another who ran at Ascot, and Sir Mark Prescott’s Synergism are among the fancied contenders at the confirmation stage.
Prydwen has been left at the head of the weights, while Brian Ellison will attempt to win the race for a second time in three years with Tashkhan.
Ewan Whilans is confident Team Player can shine in the big staying handicaps following his fine effort to finish fifth in the Chester Cup last time out.
Whilans said: “He’s been down to Newcastle and had a gallop. They put some new fibre on the track and him and another horse went down and did a piece of work around there on Thursday morning and he came through that well. He’ll do another piece of work in middle of the week and then it’s off to Newcastle for the weekend all being well.
“He ran well at Chester and he was just a little bit slow away, not so very much slow away he just takes forever to find his stride. He’s a small horse but it seems to take him forever to get going.
“We spoke beforehand and just said to Greg (Fairley) you have to get to the rail. He just had to wait until everything opened up and from where he was turning in to where he was at the finishing line he was fifth, only beaten two and a bit lengths. He ran a good race that day and that proved he can hold his own in these sort of races.
“He might go jumping in the winter, it depends what happens the next few runs. His plans will change if he did happen to win next Saturday, he might sneak in the Ebor or something and I’d like to run him in the Cesarewitch at the end of the year. I think two-mile-two will be fine for him at Newmarket.
“He’ll have a crack at four or five big handicaps and if he manages to win one of them then he’s done his job.”
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