'He could be Group class' - small stable in hopeful mood with leading Northumberland Plate contender

The Deborah Faulkner team are relishing the chance to have a runner in the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate (2.05) after Golden Rules featured among 48 confirmations for Newcastle's showpiece on Saturday.

Golden Rules, who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy, has been among the fancied runners for the 2m½f handicap since winning at Kempton in March on his first start in 638 days after moving to Faulkner's Monmouthshire yard from John and Thady Gosden.

The six-year-old finished fourth in the 2021 Ascot Stakes on his final start for the Gosdens and was bought by Gareth Cheshire, who has a few horses in training with Faulkner, for just 6,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Sales that same year.

Golden Rules, pictured winning at Kempton, will again be ridden by Oisin Murphy

"We picked a few out at the sales and we didn't think he'd be in our price bracket, but we had a go and I think we bought him very cheaply," said Tom Faulkner, the trainer's son and a key part of the operation.

"He had to have a bit of rest and recuperation, and we started to do a bit of work with him in the swimming pool to get him to relax and that's all we did with him for six months.

"Funnily enough we were going to run him over jumps because we schooled him and he jumped really well. We were trying to get him a run prior to going to the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. We had him pencilled in to run at Newbury in February time, but I think the ground was good to firm and I just couldn't run him on that, so we aborted the mission.

"I didn't want to go straight to Cheltenham without giving him a run, although he jumps very well and I thought we had him very fit, so we decided to go for that race at Kempton and he proved to me how fit he was as he won first time out. After we thought, do we go to Royal Ascot with him? But you can never guarantee what the ground is like at Ascot and it worked out as it came up good to firm. I made a plan with the owner to miss Royal Ascot and train him for the Northumberland Plate, so that's what we've done.

"He's been swimming four, five times a week, he's galloped twice a week in Lambourn and he seems very well. He hasn't missed a beat and he's right and well and hopefully good to go on Saturday. A lot of people say you need a Group horse to win the Northumberland Plate and I think he could be that sort of class. He shows enough at home to suggest he's a tidy horse."

The Faulkners have just 18 boxes in the yard and he added: "It's a very big thing for us. He's the highest-rated horse we've got in the yard. We've only got a dozen in at the moment and it's nice for a small yard like ours to have a horse with a lively chance in a race like this. Fingers crossed it all goes well."

Post Impressionist: heads the market for Saturday's Northumberland PlateCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Post Impressionist, who has not been seen since winning a three-year-old heritage handicap at York in October, heads the market, while last year's Northumberland Vase winner Zoffee could be turned out again quickly after running at Royal Ascot last week.

Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate (2.05 Newcastle, July 1)

Paddy Power: 13-2 Post Impressionist, 8 Golden Rules, Zoffee, 10 Adjuvant, Roberto Escobarr, 12 Omniscient, 14 Mr Escobar, Second Slip, 16 bar

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