'It's very likely that he'll run' - Trueshan set for Northumberland Plate

Ascot's loss looks set to be Newcastle's gain once more as Trueshan is "very likely" to have another crack at defying a huge weight in the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate.

The top-rated stayer in training finished sixth off a mark of 118 in the race last year, having reverted to handicap company because unsuitably quick ground ruled him out of the Gold Cup the previous week.

A year on and unbeaten in four starts since, Trueshan could carry a whopping 10st 8lb in next Saturday's £150,000 handicap with his rating of 120 putting him 15lb of his nearest potential rival John Leeper in the weights.

Yet that looks the likely target for the six-year-old after quick conditions ruled him out of both the Gold Cup and Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Alan King, who wants to get a run into Trueshan before his bid to repeat last year's success in the Goodwood Cup, said on Sunday: "I'll check him over and I need to speak to the owners but we'll leave him in the race in the morning and it's very likely that he'll run. My gut feeling at the moment is that he'll take his chance.

"He ran a terrific race in the Plate last year. I needed to go somewhere and I always say that running at Newcastle won me a Goodwood Cup."

Riding plans have yet to be finalised for Trueshan, who was ridden by a 5lb claimer to reduce his welter burden at Newcastle last year.

However, King pointed out: "He has been set 10st 8lb but he carries a lot more than that every morning on the gallops here and David Elsworth was never worried about running Desert Orchid with that weight, was he?

"It's an awful long time to go without a run otherwise, and Goodwood might be quick ground anyway."

Trueshan: beat Quickthorn on his only run of the season so farCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Trueshan went on from success at Goodwood to land the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp and a second Long Distance Cup at Ascot in 2021.

Dry weather has restricted him to one outing this season, a reappearance win in a conditions event at Nottingham, but King is not letting the stayer's second successive forced absence from Royal Ascot frustrate him.

"There's no point getting upset about it," he said. "We left it as late as we could on Saturday, in the hope that the rain would come and allow him to run in the Queen Alexandra, but that which did fall made no difference to the ground. We had no option but to take him out."

Trueshan is a best-priced 10-1 for the Plate, in which the sponsor's betting is headed by the Andrew Balding-trained pair Coltrane and Valley Forge on 8-1.

Northumberland Plate, 3.30 Newcastle, Saturday, June 25

William Hill: 8 Coltrane, Valley Forge, 9 Trueshan, 10 Get Shirty, Honor And Pleasure, Onesmoothoperator, 12 Rajinsky, Spirit Mixer, 14 Postileo, Soapy Stevens, 16 Bandinelli, John Leeper, 18 bar

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