Diligent is all set to deliver at Newcastle

Diligent Harry can resume his good work with victory in the William Hill Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle tomorrow.

Clive Cox’s sprinter was all set to make his turf debut in the Group One Commonwealth Cup last week, until a dramatic deterioration in the weather turned the ground at Royal Ascot from good to firm to heavy.

The three-year-old is therefore taking on his elders instead as he continues on the all-weather, having won three of his four starts to date on a variety of surfaces since January.

He made his successful debut at Wolverhampton, like Newcastle home to a Tapeta track, and has therefore already proved his suitability on that score.

Cox naturally retains toplevel aspirations for Diligent Harry, but drops him to Group Three company as a contingency after his Ascot plan was derailed.

The son of Due Diligence is already an All-Weather Championships title-holder, at Lingfield on his most recent start back in early April, and has so far been beaten only by Rohaan – subsequently a dual Group and Royal Ascot winner himself.

There was only a shorthead between them, over this trip at Lingfield in March, and Diligent Harry showed plenty then and in his victory since to indicate he will surely be a major threat to all here in significant receipt of 4lb and upwards in weight for age from his 12 rivals.

The highlight on Newcastle’s mid-summer card is, of course, the William Hill Northumberland Plate Handicap.

Alan King’s high-class stayer Trueshan is understandably at the top of the market – but even with his jockey’s 5lb allowance, the vastly-improved Group Two winner faces a significant task to give weight away all round.

At least one of his opponents may well take advantage – and among them, Rajinksy catches the eye at tempting odds.

Like Trueshan a five-yearold, Tom Dascombe’s gelding has every right to be progressing. He ran with credit in this feature race last year, finishing a seven-length seventh, and has performed well several times since – including in three starts this spring.

Rajinsky has had a month’s break since the last of those and is feasibly treated off his low weight – including with several others who are also back to try this test again.

Top Rank returns to action quickly, in Windsor’s Fitzdares Midsummer Stakes, after his promising effort petered out in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

That was the second time in succession that James Tate’s likeable grey has been put in his place by Europe’s preeminent miler Palace Pier.