Proschema

Proschema did well to finish third in the Northumberland Plate. Held up early on from his wide draw by Jane Elliott, he was still at the back of the field at the top of the home straight, but he stayed on strongly down the near side to take third place, closest at the finish.

The high numbers have done well in the Northumberland Plate since the surface was changed to Tapeta, but that didn’t appear to be the case this year, with four of the first five home drawn eight or lower. Proschema was the one who wasn’t drawn low, and he was drawn 17. Also, this was his first attempt at a distance in excess of a mile and six furlongs, and he saw the trip out well.

Tom Dascombe’s horse has been progressive too this season since he has been gelded, his last two runs are up there with the best of his career to date, and a 1lb hike for this performance is fair. He will be of interest now in another long-distance handicap. He holds an entry in the Ebor and, with a good record at York – he finished a close-up third in the Melrose Handicap last year, and he finished second in a good handicap there in October – he could be an interesting outsider in the Ebor if he gets into the race. In the shorter term, he holds an entry in a two-mile handicap at Newbury on Saturday, and he will be of interest if he takes his chance in that race.

Newcastle, 29^th June 2019