'I just need to win the Plate now!' - Eider joy for local lad Brian Ellison as he triumphs again with Anglers Crag

Nobody knows better than Brian Ellison how ecstasy can turn to agony on the run-in at Newcastle. But this time he was the one smiling at the finish.

The man born in the city on Northumberland Plate day in 1952 looked about to fulfil a lifetime's ambition when Seamour quickened three lengths clear in the final furlong of the track's biggest race back in 2016. Channel 4 cameras closed in and got ready to show the joyful trainer, only for the celebration to turn into a wake as Charlie Appleby's Antiquarium caught his stayer late on. Yet seven and a half years later, Ellison was in the Godolphin trainer's shoes.

Anglers Crag, unbeaten in three previous runs since joining him from David Pipe but far from certain to stay the gruelling 4m1f of the Betting.Bet Eider Chase, looked to have lost his chance with a bad mistake at the second-last fence, handing an apparently decisive advantage to Prince Des Fichaux.

However, Henry Brooke got his mount going again, rallied approaching the final fence, closed inexorably on Danny McMenamin in the last 100 yards and got to the front in the final strides.

"He missed two out, when he was going really well, and he's done very well to get back up and win the race," said the jockey, who was also on board when Sam's Adventure won this race for Ellison in 2021. "But the other horse had blinkers on and I knew if I could get past him I'd stay there and beat him."

Ellison was full of praise for Brooke, and said: "It was some ride because he's not easy, he was tanking along and dropping it and he has his own way of jumping. I said to Henry he won't ride a better race this season.

"I thought it was over when he made that mistake. It was a bit like Sam's Adventure, he made a mistake and came back and won and that went through my mind straight away."

The trainer was also quick to pay tribute to the efforts of travelling head lad Andy Robinson in transforming a horse who had shown just modest form before owner Derrick Mossop sent him to Malton.

"I had one for the owner before and it went lame so he said he'd send me another," Ellison said. "I had an open mind when he came, the owner said he thought something of him and it just hadn't been working out."

Henry Brooke gives the thumbs-up as he returns on Anglers CragCredit: John Grossick

Anglers Crag had dominated the ante-post betting during the week, and his trainer added: "I said he was the best horse in the race, it was whether he got the trip. You don't know until they run. This horse has got a lot of talent and he'll probably improve again.

"It's great to win this twice with two nice horses. I just need to win the Plate now!"

Prince Des Fichaux's trainer Ewan Whillans was quick to look ahead to next weekend after coming within a neck of landing his biggest win since taking over the licence at his Hawick yard from father Alistair in 2021.

"I thought we had it when Henry's made a mistake two out," he admitted. "But he did nothing wrong and Danny gave him a great ride, he did what he was told to do. He's pulled clear, he's run a blinder and I'm over the moon.

"For a trainer starting out it would have been brilliant to win, but we've got Cracking Rhapsody in the Morebattle at Kelso next Saturday and I hope he gets in."

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