Ascot heroine to give Mullins another winner at Newcastle

London - Lagostovegas can provide the all-conquering Willie Mullins with a first ever victory in the Stobart Rail & Civils Northumberland Plate at Newcastle today.

The high-class dual-purpose mare is sent back into battle just 11 days after securing Mullins a fourth Ascot Stakes success, where she travelled strongly and ultimately won with something to spare. The fact that she lines up at Gosforth Park with only a 3kg penalty was clearly too tempting for Mullins to refuse, with the handicapper likely to make more drastic action once given the chance.

Lagostovegas was no match for Withhold when having to settle for third in last season's Cesarewitch at Newmarket, but she is significantly better off at the weights for the rematch and is match fit, whereas Withhold has not been seen since. The Mullins runner appears to have a nice starting position in stall No 6 and everything points to a big run.

Group 3 honours are up for grabs in the Betfred TV Chipchase Stakes and in a wide-open renewal the admirable Kimberella gets the vote. Richard Fahey's veteran was beaten just 0.50 lengths into third in this race last summer and there is nothing to suggest his powers are on the wane. He was beaten by just a nose on the grass at Hamilton on his latest appearance and is equally effective on the all-weather.

Tabarrak can get back on the winning trail in the featured Betway Criterion Stakes at Newmarket. This 1400m on fast ground is tailor-made for Richard Hannon's inmate and he encounters both on the July Course, where he has run well before.

His two most recent appearances have come at Haydock, where he has won a Listed prize and been narrowly beaten in a Group 3 and it will be disappointing if he's not in the shakeup again.

Starlight Romance can clinch a second successive win at York in the Bet & Watch At sunbets. co.uk Fillies' Handicap. After consecutive runner-up finishes, Blyton can make it third time lucky in Chester's Pimms Novice Stakes for locally-based trainer Tom Dascombe.

The main attraction at Windsor is the sunbets.co.uk Midsummer Stakes, in which Oh This Is Us can make the most of having his sights lowered after proving out of his depth in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

Old Persian is taken to cause a minor upset in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. Saxon Warrior will be all the rage to bounce back from his shock defeat in the Derby at Epsom and may well do so, but it will be a brave man who takes odds-on about a horse who still has stamina to prove.

Epsom runner-up Dee Ex Bee is sure to go well, but is making a habit of finding one too good, whereas Old Persian won his third race from four starts this season in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It is a quick turnaround, but Charlie Appleby clearly feels he is ready to go again and he looks the value call. – Press Association