They say the ‘weight stops horses’. Well, in most cases this saying is right! However, that theory was well and truly kicked into touch last weekend when the Alan King-trained Trueshan won the 2022 Northumberland Plate carrying a staggering 10st 8lbs – and in the process delivered the best weight-carrying performance since 1988!
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How Did Trueshan’s 2022 Northumberland Plate Win Rank?
In short, what horse racing fans witnessed at Newcastle racecourse in the 2022 Northumberland Plate was nothing short of remarkable – history in the making!
Truehan’s win in the Northumberland Plate carrying 10st 8lbs as a 120-rated horse, that we normally see running in Group One races (not handicaps), hasn’t been bettered in recent times.
Handicap races are meant to be a leveller – where the better horses get more weight and in theory all the runners in should cross the line together.
Of course, in horse racing this will never happen as there are far too many other factors to take into account – ground, tracks, jockey decisions, draw, tactics, horses out of form – the list goes on.
But when you look at the lists below of other horses that have tried to win flat race handicaps carrying welter burdens you’ll see that we’ve only had six since 1988 and the last – Ocean Tempest, who was rated 115 (5lbs less than Trueshan) – was back in 2014.
The second-highest rated in the 2022 Northumberland Plate on Saturday was the 101-rated pair Red Verdon (18th) and Rajinsky (4th), while the runner up – Spirit Mixer, who is rated 97 and 23lbs inferior to Trueshan, carried a massive 2st less than the winner and was still beaten.
All these facts and figures further highlight just was a remarkable win Trueshan’s was in the Northumberland Plate.
Top Six Highest-Rated Handicap Winners (since 1988)
1. TRUESHAN: Rated 120, Newcastle 2022 (1st 3/1)
2. OCEAN TEMPEST: Rated 115, Chester 2014 (1st 10/1)
3. RUSSIAN REVIVAL: Rated 114, Ascot 1999 (1st 9/1)
4. RAINBOW HIGH: Rated 113, Chester 2001 (1st 9/2)
5. BERTOLINI: Rated 113, Newmarket 1999 (1st 5/1)
6. CAYMAN KAI: Rated 113, Newmarket 1996 (1st 7/2)
As you can see, since 1996 there have only been six winners in handicap flat races in the UK that have carried 113 (or more) to victory and with the last of those the 115-rated Ocean Tempest, who won a 7 1/2 furlong race at Chester in 2014. But that day connections also had a 5lb claimer in his back to help.
Therefore, the win for Trueshan, who was rated 120 – 5lbs higher and with no 5lb claimer on his back – makes his 2022 Northumberland Plate win even better. So, in reality, he won being rated 10lbs higher than Ocean Tempest.
What Did Truehan’s Trainer Alan King Say After The Northumberland Plate?
“I’m still finding it quite difficult to take in,” said King to the Racing Post. “It was something quite special to see. I was in a restaurant just outside Lambourn with John Law and his family, who’d flown down from Aberdeen to see their horses, and we had a very good celebration.
“When I saw the price he was, I was very surprised. I thought he’d run very well but I was thinking I’d have been very happy if he was in the first four or first six. I couldn’t really see him winning off that mark.”
“The jumps boys do it,” he said. “If you think of Desert Orchid and Denman and going right back to Arkle in the Hennessy. And I had no option, I had to get a run into him.
“Hollie was firmly of the opinion, both after his first win of the season at Nottingham and yesterday, that he’s improved again since last year and you’d have to think the form book says that.”
“Once she was available, we never really considered claiming off him this time as I felt he needs knowing, which is no criticism whatsoever of Rhys Clutterbuck, who rode him last year,” King added.
“He and Hollie are a great partnership. He was a little bit keen down the back but she knows him so well.”
“He came back safely last night and now that he’s had a run he can have a quiet week or ten days and then we can build him back up towards Goodwood,”
“If the ground isn’t right there, we have the Lonsdale at York, the Doncaster Cup and races in France later on. The important thing is we got the run into him yesterday, which sets him up for the rest of the season.
“The pressure is off as he’d been simmering away for a few weeks because he was ready to run in the Henry II Stakes. Keeping a horse on the go without running him is hard.”
“It’s the ups and downs of racing and it was so sad to lose him,” said King. “No horse deserves that. He was a big softie and it was very upsetting.
“His owner Dan Gilbert has had horses a long time. I spoke to him this morning and, while we appreciate these things can happen, it’s still hard to take.” Alan King told the Racing Post
Trueshan’s Current Race Record and Big Race Successes
- Runs: 18
- Wins: 12
- Group One Wins: Two (British Champions Long Distance Cup 2021, Goodwood Cup 2021
- Total Prize Money: £1,192,968
Hollie Doyle’s Race Record On Trueshan
To date (up till 25th June), Hollie Doyle has ridden Trueshan eight times and only been beaten once – that came in a second in the 2021 Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
- Hollie Doyle Trueshan Rides: 8
- Hollie Doyle Wins On Trueshan: 7
Where Next For Trueshan?
The Northumberland Plate run last weekend was really only seen as a prep run for another tilt at the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday 26th July – a race he won in 2021. However, Trueshan will now head to Glorious Goodwood to defend his Goodwood Cup title with an even bigger reputation and with the race off level weights for the 4+ year-olds then the Alan King won’t have to give bundles away this time.
Yes, if any 3 year-olds run in the Goodwood Cup, he will have to give away 15lbs to them, but since 1991 only one horse aged 3 has won the Goodwood Cup and that was the mighty Stradivarius, who went onto win the race four times, in 2017.
If making it to the 2022 Goodwood Cup at the end of July, Trueshan could face the recent 2022 Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios @ 5/2 with BetUK, plus the four-time winner of the race – Stradivarius @ 3/1 with BetUK to set up a fascinating clash of the best ‘cup horses’ in training.
Back TRUESHAN @ 5/2 with BetUK for the 2022 Goodwood Cup
Watch Trueshan Winning the 2022 Northumberland Plate Again
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Andy Newton
