The 2017 renewal of the Eider Chase takes place at Newcastle Racecourse, on Saturday February 25th. While this is only a Class 2 contest, the huge purse (£80,000) attracts a high-quality field and we already have a live ante-post market.
View Full Ante-Post Market Now!Recent Eider Chase winners include Rocking Blues, Milborough, Wyck Hill, Portrait King and Campanero. It’s a gruelling contest of 4m 1f and it’s been a fixture since the early 1950s.
The following horses are already priced-up…
Likely Runners
Raz De Maree – Gavin Cromwell
Goodtoknow – Kerry Lee
Baie Des Iles – Ross O’Sullivan
Shotgun Paddy – Emma Lavelle
Smooth Stepper – Sue Smith
Wild West Wind – Tom Richard George
Knockanrawley – Kim Charles Bailey
Court Frontier – Paul Morgan
Bishops Road – Kerry Lee
Baywing – Nicky Richards
Viva Steve – Fergal O’Brien
Straidnahanna – Sue Smith
Russe Blanc – Kerry Lee
Royal Salute – Anthony Honeyball
Portrait King – Patrick Griffin
Perfect Candidate – Fergal O’Brien
Out Sam – Warren Greatrex
Mountainous – Kerry Lee
Milborough – Ian Duncan
Kruzhlinin – Philip Hobbs
Houblon Des Obeaux – Venetia Williams
Gas Line Boy – Ian Paul Williams
Blakemount – Sue Smith
Beg To Differ – Jonjo O’Neill
Alfie Spinner – Kerry Lee
Spookydooky – Jonjo O’Neill
Warrantor – Warren Greatrex
Rigadin De Beauchene – Venetia Williams
Mysteree – Michael Scudamore
Mustmeetalady – Jonjo O’Neill
Morney Wing – J. Charlie Mann
Milansbar – Neil King
Harry Topper – Kim Charles Bailey
Goulanes – Neil Mulholland
Gevrey Chambertin – David Pipe
Father Edward – David Pipe
Cresswell Breeze – Anthony Honeyball
Courtown Oscar – Philip Kirby
Alto Des Mottes – Henry Hogarth
Abracadabra Sivola – David Pipe
West Of The Edge – Dr. Richard Newland
Streets Of Promise – Michael Scudamore
Sevenballs Of Fire – Iain Jardine
Harry The Viking – Sandy Thomson
Gone Too Far – David Pipe
Emperor’s Choice – Venetia Williams
Deputy Commander – Nigel Twiston-Davies
Dawson City – Polly Gundry
Dare To Endeavour – Emmet Mcnamara
Cyclop – David Dennis
Summery Justice – Venetia Williams
Samingarry – Nigel Hawke
Millicent Silver – Nigel Twiston-Davies
Kingswell Theatre – Michael Scudamore
Gary Charm – David Pipe
Berea Boru – Peter Bowen
Racing At Newcastle
The location of Newcastle Racecourse is Gosforth Park, just outside of this famous and bustling city. Both flat and jumps racing are held at Newcastle.
We can trace the history of horse racing in this area, right back to the early part of the Seventeenth-Century. Back then, the action took place at nearby Killingworth. The racecourse relocated to Town Moor, which is where the Northumberland Plate was first held. In the latter part of the Eighteenth-Century, the course was moved again – this time to the present location at Gosforth Park.
Locals were unhappy about this, but the move was a successful one and Gosforth Park has been the home of some great racing for more than one hundred and 30 years now. There was a great deal of investment at the time of the move, which enabled the construction of new courses for both flat and jumps racing, a new grandstand and stables for over 100 horses.
The estate was very well managed and development continued in the years that followed. Two golf clubs were built, along with a nature reserve and a camp for scouts.
Recent Modernisation
However, by the mid-1990s, the venue was starting to look rather tired. It was sold to Northern Racing and they invested well over ten million pounds to get it back into tip-top shape. New stands were built, along with a better parade ring and a new course was laid out – a one mile flat track, of which there aren’t too many of in the UK.
David Williamson, a canny Scottish businessman, was recruited as managing director in 2002. With some well-thought out initiatives, he increased turnover at Newcastle Racecourse from £2.5m to £6.5m. However, this is dwarfed by the amount of money that the Northumberland Plate brings to the local economy – an estimated £30m, in direct and indirect spending.
Williamson also introduced a Ladies Day at Newcastle. This has been extremely popular and over fifteen thousand spectators attend each year. Williamson left the racecourse, in 2008, to work for the big local football team, Newcastle United. Whether or not he now regrets that move, only he could say! Mark Spincer stepped in to replace him at the racecourse.
The Northumberland Plate takes place either in late-June or early-July. This is a flat race and also a handicap. Run over a distance of two miles, the race is for horses that are at least three years old.
The first ever winner of the Northumberland Plate was a horse called Tomboy. Underhand is the most successful Northumberland Plate horse, having won the event on three different occasions. More recent winners include Al Maheb, Celeric, Far Cry, Bay of Islands, Windsor Castle,, Cyrian and Archduke Ferdinand.
Tapeta Track
The racecourse can boast a very-recent period of investment and modernisation. A new tapeta track was installed and the first races took place on this in 2016. It is already established as a premier all-weather venue, something that the North desperately needed.
Newcastle Racecourse always offers a great day out and it is well worth the trip, if you ever find yourself in this great city.
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