CRACK North Yorkshire apprentice George Chaloner, who hit the heights at Royal Ascot last Saturday when winning the prestigious Wokingham Handicap for his Malton boss Richard Fahey on Baccarat, heads to Newcastle today in the hope of securing another major prize.

Chaloner takes the mount on Fahey's Angel Gabrial in the £140,000 John Smith's Northumberland Plate, otherwise known as the 'Pitmens' Derby' and has a leading chance of capturing this famous staying contest.

Angel Gabrial proved he was up to winning a big handicap when he was narrowly beaten by Suegioo in the Chester Cup last month. He was unlucky that day, having come from last to first under Jamie Spencer, who circled the whole field in little more than a furlong before finally coming to the end of his tether and hanging away from his jockey's whip in the closing stages which allowed Suegioo to sneak past him.

Angel Gabrial deserves to find a valuable race after that heroic effort. Today will not be easy. There is a big field and any amount of horses with major chances, among them Brian Ellison's recent York winner Totalize, old rival Suegioo, Irish raider Lucky Bridle and David O'Meara's pair, Repeater and Tropical Beat.

But they have all got Angel Gabrial to beat and, well drawn in stall one, the Musley Bank gelding can provide the high-flying Chaloner with another sizeable payday.

Tim Easterby, who saddles Ardlui in the feature event, has good prospects of a double on the Newcastle card.

The Great Habton trainer saddles nap selection in the opening Betfred/Irish Stallion Farms Maiden Stakes and the youngster promises to be a tough nut to crack.

Short N Sweet finished an excellent second on her debut at York a couple of weeks ago and looks poised to go one better under David Allan.

Easterby can also lift the Group 3 Betfred TV Chipchase Stakes with Body And Soul, the mount of Duran Fentiman.

A high-class sprinter, who has been running extremely well in defeat lately, Body And Soul is fancied to open her seasonal account at the main expense of Danzeno, who blotted his copybook when becoming upset in the stalls before failing to justify favouritism in a red-hot sprint at York a fortnight ago.

At Doncaster's evening fixture, Dubai Hills is selected to defy top weight in the featured AFI Group Handicap.

The eight-year-old, trained by David O'Meara, was a winner at Haydock two starts ago and ran well to finish fourth to stablemate Alejandro on his latest outing. Danny Tudhope takes the mount.

The Panelcraft Quality Access Panels Handicap has attracted a useful field of sprinters and High On Life can be another winner for Tudhope.

Trained at Lambourn by Jamie Osborne, the three-year-old is on a roll at present after winning his last three starts, two at Windsor and one at Lingfield. He has risen dramatically in the ratings - from 73 to 88 - but he is a fast-improving performer who is fancied to show these rivals a clean pair of heels.

The promising Makhfar (5.55) and recent winner Green Monkey (7.05), the mount of Freddie Tylicki, are two others to note on the Town Moor programme.

Racing selections

Newcastle today
1.35 Short N Sweet (NAP), 2.05 Picture Dealer, 2.40 Body And Soul, 3.15 Farlow, 3.50 Angel Gabrial, 4.25 Amaze, 5.00 Halation.

Doncaster today
5.25 Wall Street Boss, 5.55 Makhfar, 6.30 Loom Of Life, 7.05 Green Monkey, 7.40 Dubai Hills, 8.15 High On Life, 8.45 Elizabeth Coffee.

Today's other meetings: Chester, Newmarket, Windsor and Lingfield.

Tomorrow's meetings: Salisbury, Windsor and Uttoxeter.