Strong Irish assault on the All-Weather Championships

Newcastle hosts the All-Weather Championships on Good Friday and Lingfield’s supporting card also provides some competitive and valuable racing. As such, there’s some interested parties in Ireland so we’ve picked out three particularly intriguing raiders.

Royal Ascot winner Valiant Force tops the list but both Titanium Emperor and Tribal Star are also worth looking out for at Newcastle.

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Titanium Emperor - 1.15 Newcastle

Adrian Murray’s Titanium Emperor really could be anything, as he has only had one start to date. There’s plenty to like about his pedigree and his three half-siblings all performed at Group level for William Haggas.

The son of Night Of Thunder made his debut in the Patton Race at Dundalk last month and he duly obliged in good style, with stablemate Spicy Margarita three lengths behind in second. Aidan O’Brien’s Mount Kilimanjaro went off the 1/4 favourite but had no answer back in third.

Trainer Adrian Murray has had four winners from his 20 runners in the last fortnight, giving him a healthy strike-rate of 20 percent and that bodes well for him.

Stepping up to Listed company here, obviously more will be needed and we’re likely to learn plenty about the three-year-old. Improvement is anticipated on just his second start and although he may want further in time, victory cannot be ruled out.

Valiant Force - 3.00 Newcastle

It could be a big day for Murray, who also runs Valiant Force in the All-Weather Championships Mile. The four-year-old had a tough time last season but has been in good form over the winter and confidence will be high with that in mind.

This horse sprung a huge shock when winning the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in his juvenile days. Whilst it’s noted that it won’t go down as the strongest Norfolk of all time, the useful Elite Status was back in third, providing some substance to the form.

Second at the Breeders’ Cup later that year, he found only the excellent Big Evs too strong that day, although his three runs in the summer were a little underwhelming. Much better in the autumn however, he wasn’t beaten far when fourth in a Group 3 at Dundalk.

Connections decided to try stepping him significantly up in trip at the same track last time out and he bolted up on his first start over a mile. There could be more to come on that evidence and he’s worth keeping an eye on here.

Tribal Star - 4.42 Newcastle

The lightly raced Tribal Star goes markedly up in trip here and that move has the potential to facilitate a significant amount of improvement. He showed plenty in three starts for Charlie Appleby, despite failing to win, but managed to get off the mark at Dundalk in November.

It’s a potential negative that trainer Adrian McGuinness has failed to land a winner with his 10 previous runners at Newcastle but it’s unlikely that many of those had the unexposed profile of Tribal Star.

Second in handicaps over 1m4f and 1m2½f in his last two starts, he has looked a little short on pace so the longer trip could help on that front. Jamie Powell finished second on him two starts ago and returns to the saddle to take 3lb off once again.