York races make a belated return on Thursday, with the staging of the Dante meeting, nearly two months later than usual.
Northwest Frontier runs in the extended two miles handicap at 4.50pm, with Kevin Stott in the saddle, he is having his first ever ride for us.Northwest Frontier is already a course and distance winner, back in July 2018, off a 1lb higher mark than he races off on Thursday, but he hasn't raced for 420 days, so is entitled to need this race to put him spot on. To keep up to date with all the latest happenings at Oakwood Stables, click on 'NEWS' at www.mickyhammondracing.
Good luck to the connections, Craig & Laura Buckingham.
Northwest Frontier definitely gets his stamina from his sire Galileo, as his dam is by the miler Proud Citizen, and she was placed in the Queen Mary (Group 2) at Royal Ascot, as a two year old.over five furlongs.He also has a half sister, who was Group 3 placed over six furlongs as a two year old.
Northwest Frontier was a late starter, not making his racecourse debut until June of his three year old career, when trained by Richard Fahey, and running in the famous silks of Sir Robert Ogden.He made his racecourse debut at Ripon over 10 furlongs, staying on well to finish third. Just over two weeks later at Redcar he got off the mark, over the same trip at odds of 4/6.He stepped up to 12 furlongs for his handicap debut, off a mark of 77, at Hamilton, finishing third, before going down by a short head at Thirsk in August, over the same trip.His next race was in the Melrose Handicap at York's Ebor meeting, over 14 furlongs, where he finished eighth beaten just over seven lengths.He raced on a further three occasions as a three year old, including his All Weather debut at Kempton in November, but never really got competitive.
Northwest Frontier returned in April 2018, over 12 furlongs at Thirsk, finishing sixth, and 12 days later over the same trip, this time at Musselburgh, he finished third.It was on his next start at Nottingham when stepped up to two miles for the first time, that saw him return to the winners enclosure, winning easily from a reduced mark of 73.He followed up eight days later at Ripon, over their two miles. once again winning without coming off the bridle.He was dropped back to 13 furlongs at Ayr in June, and finished second, but back over two miles at York in July he won again, taking his rating to a career high of 90.In three further runs for the Fahey yard, he couldn't get competitive, but he was highly tried at Goodwood, and again at York, twice.
Northwest Frontier has raced twice for us to date, in April 2019, over the two miles at Ripon, when having his first race in nearly seven months, he ran well off 90, to finish forth of the seven runners, beaten under eight lengths.He wasn't so good on his next start at York in May,missing the break, and then weakening from three out.
Northwest Frontier has been given plenty of time to freshen up, and is obviously a quality performer, he probably acts on most types of going, but Good to Firm would be a bonus, and two miles looks like his trip.