Speedo Boy cut to 11-1 for Northumberland Plate glory

Ian Williams plans to be three-handed in Saturday's Betfair Northumberland Plate at Newcastle and one of his trio, Speedo Boy, was the subject of significant price cuts on Wednesday.

The West Midlands-based trainer is chasing a first win in the 'Pitmen's Derby', in which he also plans to field Time To Study, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy, and Shabeeb.

Speedo Boy was the best-backed of the trio on Wednesday and was cut to 11-1 (from 16) by both the sponsors and Paddy Power.

Ian Williams: bidding for a first win in the Northumberland PlateCredit: Edward Whitaker

The five-year-old ran a great trial for the two-mile contest when chasing home Red Galileo, who reopposes, in a 1m6f handicap at Newmarket on his latest start.

Williams said: "Speedo Boy seems in fine form and his latest run behind Red Galileo was a solid run. He's performed well on the synthetic surfaces before and we hope he can run well."

Time To Study, a general 16-1 chance, will be backing up just 11 days after finishing third to stablemate The Grand Visir in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

The five-year-old knows all about the Northumberland Plate having finished sixth behind Withhold last year.

Williams added: "I would have liked another week to ten days with Time To Study, who didn't stay the two and a half miles on testing ground at Ascot.

"He seems well in himself, so we'll give it a go, and he's racing off a 10lb lower mark than when he ran in the race a year ago."

On Shabeeb, Williams said: "He hated the soft ground when he ran at Chester last time and hopefully this surface should suit him a bit better."

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