Confirmed runners and riders for the Northumberland Plate and Pretty Polly Stakes on Saturday

Callum Shepherd will not be riding Ambiente Friendly in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but he will partner Too Friendly for the Gredley family in the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate (3.10) on Saturday.

Shepherd lost the ride on the Gredleys' Ambiente Friendly after winning Lingfield’s Derby Trial, with Robert Havlin instead steering the James Fanshawe-trained son of Gleneagles to finish second behind City Of Troy at Epsom.

Havlin will retain the partnership with Ambiente Friendly, who is the 11-10 favourite to go one better in the Irish Derby at the Curragh. 

However, a week on from sealing his first Ascot winner in style with victory on Isle Of Jura in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, Shepherd will be reunited with Too Friendly, who was beaten half a length under the rider when sent off the 9-4 favourite at Newmarket last month.

Callum Shepherd: booked to ride Too Friendly for The Gredley FamilyCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

David Egan rode James Owen’s representative when he finished fourth at Hamilton last time but Shepherd, who helped the six-year-old break his maiden at Doncaster in March 2021, is back on board Too Friendly, whose sole previous outing on the all-weather this term yielded a win at Kempton.

Geordie native Brian Ellison saddles topweight Tashkhan and dual course winner Onesmoothoperator as he bids for his first win in the £150,000 handicap.

Ascot Stakes hero Pledgeofallegiance was not declared by Sir Mark Prescott, who instead relies on True Legend and the hat-trick-seeking Trooper Bisdee.

Ante-post favourite Alphonse Le Grande was among 22 of the 42 declared not to get a run in the race with Charlie Johnston's course winner Artisan Dancer at the foot of the weights.

Northumberland Plate runners and riders

Tashkhan Ben Robinson
Yashin Scott McCullagh
Spartan Army Billy Loughnane
Zoffee Harry Davies
Onesmoothoperator Connor Beasley
True Legend Cieren Fallon
Too Friendly Callum Shepherd
Zealandia Josephine Gordon
Spirit Mixer George Rooke
Duke of Oxford Tyler Heard
Solent Gateway Rowan Scott
Grand Providence David Probert
Island Brave Ethan Jones
Trooper Bisdee Hollie Doyle
Evaluation Andrew Mullen
Howth Marco Ghiani
Golden Flame Duran Fentiman
Forza Orta James Sullivan
Rathgar Cam Hardie
Artisan Dancer Andrew Breslin

Coral: 5 Trooper Bisdee, 7 Zoffee, 8 Grand Providence, Onesmoothoperator, 10 Duke Of Oxford, Spartan Army, Yashin, 12 Tashkan, 16 Forza Orta, Solent Gateway, True Legend, 20 Zealandia, 25 Evaluation, Howth, Rathgar, Too Friendly, 33 Artisan Dancer, 40 Golden Flame, 50 Spirit Mixer, 66 Island Brave

Bluestocking heads strong British challenge in Pretty Polly

There will be more British than Irish-trained runners in Saturday’s Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes (3.30).

Five of the eight declared for the Group 1 are trained in Britain including Ralph Beckett’s market leader Bluestocking, who was runner-up in last year’s Irish Oaks on her only previous visit to the Curragh.

Bluestocking: a six-length winner of a York Group 2 on her reappearance Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Dual Group 1 winner Emily Upjohn bids to bounce back to form on her first trip to Ireland for John and Thady Gosden having failed to place on her last three starts.

The form of Stay Alert’s successful seasonal debut in the Dahlia Stakes was boosted when the second, Running Lion, went one better in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes and she bids to give trainer Hughie Morrison his first winner in Ireland.

Tasmania, a Listed winner in France when trained by Francis Graffard, makes her stable debut for Sir Mark Prescott with Charlie Johnston’s Goodwood Listed winner Francophone completing the British challenge.

Everlasting and Greenfinch were not declared by Aidan O’Brien, who instead relies solely on Content. O’Brien’s son Joseph saddles Lumiere Rock and Maxux with that duo’s stablemate American Sonja not declared. 

Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Purple Lily and Siege Of Troy were also not declared.

Pretty Polly Stakes runners and riders

Bluestocking Rossa Ryan
Emily Upjohn Kieran Shoemark
Lumiere Rock Dylan Browne McMonagle
Maxux Mikey Sheehy
Stay Alert David Egan
Tasmania Luke Morris
Content Ryan Moore
Francophone Joe Fanning

bet365: 6-4 Emily Upjohn, 7-4 Bluestocking, 6 Stay Alert, 10 Tasmania, 14 Lumiere Rock, 20 Maxux, 33 Content, Francophone

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