Newcastle nights: highlights from a big evening at Gosforth Park

Dance has a spring back in his step

He won't be winning the Plate this year but at least he got his hands on the Cup.

High-profile local owner John Dance, who agonisingly missed out on having a runner in Newcastle's biggest race when Rare Groove just missed the cut for Saturday's Northumberland Plate, had his mood lifted by Fool For You in the £50,000 Betfair Exchange Gosforth Park Cup on Friday evening.

"It's a bit heartbreaking to initially be knocked out the Plate at the declaration stage and then there was a non-runner [Withhold] this morning and we were joint next," said Dance on Friday evening.

"As a local lad, it's a dream to have runner in the Plate but this is great compensation and hopefully Rare Groove will win the consolation race."

The Richard Fahey-trained Fool For You picked up strongly for PJ McDonald to hold off last year's winner Copper Knight by three quarters of a length.

"PJ said she has a devastating turn of foot and when you ask her to go, she's rapid," said Dance. "She's turning into a good horse and I'd like to get black type with her."

Frankel filly Sun Maiden shines brightly

The beautifully-bred Sun Maiden, a half-sister to Midday by Frankel, proved the class act on the card with a hard-fought victory over Nyaleti in the Group 3 Betfair Casino Hoppings Fillies' Stakes.

Sun Maiden (right) gets the better of Nyaleti in the Group 3 Hoppings Fillies' StakesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Sun Maiden, who finished third behind Lah Ti Dar in the Middleton Stakes at York on her seasonal return, followed up her Listed win at Nottingham this month to give Sir Michael Stoute and Jim Crowley back-to-back victories in the race after their success last year with Smart Call.

Crowley, who missed his first ride after a delayed journey up from Doncaster, said: "It's important for her to win back up in a Group 3 and she's going the right way with every run. She's a really nice filly who has got her confidence up. She's won three times over this trip now and is capable of going back up to a mile and a half at some point."

Key pointer
Mark Johnston had a winner (Liliofthelamplight) and a second (Nyaleti) at Newcastle and was also on the board at Yarmouth and Doncaster. Overall on Friday, only one of his eight runners finished out the first two places, so his Saturday runners warrant close scrutiny.

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