It's success on a Plate at last for Spirit

DELIGHT FOR JOCKEY ROB HORNBY AFTER LONG TRIP TO TYNESIDE

- By ASHLEY IVESON Press Association

SPIRIT Mixer made it third time lucky in the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

A close second to top-class stayer Trueshan in 2023, Andrew Balding’s charge could finish only ninth 12 months ago and went off at 25-1 on this latest visit to Gosforth Park for a race affectionately known as the ‘Pitmen’s Derby.

Bred in the purple as a son of Frankel and owner Jeff Smith’s Group One-winning mare Arabian Queen, Spirit Mixer was delivered with his challenge in the home straight and knuckled down to get the better Dancing In Paris by a neck under a delighted Rob Hornby, who travelled north for a solitary ride.

“He was never a 25-1 shot in my head. I've won big races on him before and he was coming in off the back of a really good run at Goodwood) said the jockey.

“T could have gone to Windsor and had four or five rides, but I wanted to come and ride him. He’s a horse that’s done no harm to me and it’s fantastic to get that sort of reward today.