AGE is just a number and class is permanent. As eight-year-old Judicial continues to demonstrate, he remains all his ability and more.

The Julie Camacho trained gelding stormed to victory in the Group 3 Betfair Backs Racing Welfare Chipchase Stakes on Northumberland Plate day at Newcastle on Saturday.

In the hands of jockey Callum Rodriguez, Judicial always travelled strongly throughout the 11 runner contest and the pair overcame monsoon like conditions on the track to win decisively.

He is Norton’s answer to a sprinting powerhouse and still gathering Group race glory with a minimal of fuss.

He’s ever green and he continues to run his heart out for owners Elite Racing Club.

But connections reveal Judicial could reach even bigger heights this season, as it seems his seasonal campaign has only just begun.

Steve Brown, Camacho’s partner and assistant said: “He keeps surprising us. When they get to eight you wonder if they are going to start regressing a touch - but he looks as good as ever.”

“We’ve run him in the better races, and he couldn’t go with Battaash at Goodwood, and we said ‘No more at that level’. But you look at that - we will have to have a look at the July Cup now, and see who is in it. It’s a possibility,” he added.

Brown is a huge part to the success of Judicial, for he walks and leads the horse to the start of every race and last weekend was no different.

Having contested mainly over the minimum trip throughout his career the Camacho stalwart appeared to relish the extra furlong in the North East. A distance he won over by in the back end of last season too.

“The logical thing was to come back half a stride to let him travel - and he seemed to love it, he travelled really well,” said Brown.

“It’s a stiff six here, but he got it really well. He got the easy six at Lingfield, but he helps you now, he settles and you can ride a race - before he wouldn’t even meet you halfway.”

Camacho’s Norton based set-up is not the biggest in the area in terms of quantity but what she has since Judicial stepped onto the scene, is a real yard flag bearer.

“He’s done so much for Elite Racing, who are great supporters of ours. He’s a home-bred - and while he hasn’t achieved as much as his half-sister (Marsha) he’s won two Group Threes and means the world to us,” said the assistant trainer.

The son of Iffraaj has struck up a remarkable and fairly new partnership with his rider Rodriguez. For Saturday’s victory was his second under the jockey in only their third race together.

The former came in November when the duo claimed the Listed Golden Rose Stakes at Lingfield, in doing so booking their place at the track’s All-Weather finals day which was due to be held on Good Friday. The meeting this year however fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic.

Little did that matter for Judicial’s recent win proved he still possesses a lot of potential. Surprisingly he was sent off at odds of 9/1, which did not seem to match or reflect his track record.

His second place effort on his seasonal return last month in Newmarket’s Group 3 Palace House Stakes was certainly no fluke as his jockey eluded to.

“I’m over the moon. On his last run in the Palace House I thought he’d go close - he ran a massive race behind a serious horse that day. He’s unreal,” said Rodriguez.

Filing the runner up places on Saturday were the Kevin Ryan trained pair Brando and Major Jumbo who finished second and third respectively.

The Sutton Bank yard continued in fine form the day after when Repartee made the journey south to Windsor racecourse to contest the Bombardier Golden Beer Carnarvon Stakes (Listed Race).

The three-year-old colt was making his seasonal debut and he won the race well, drawing clear at the line in the hands of jockey Andrea Atzeni.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Repartee proved a smart two-year-old last year having finished third in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York.

“He had smart juvenile form and deservedly gets his pattern success to make a perfect start to his season,” said his in form trainer who undoubtedly remains on a high from his Royal Ascot success with Group 1 victor Hello Youmzain and Wokingham winner Hey Jonesy.

Hero of the hour was rider of both Kevin Stott, who continues in a rich vein of the form in the saddle.

Elsewhere over the weekend Ryedale trainers Richard Fahey and Tim Easterby enjoyed success.

The seven-year-old Gallipoli took the honours in the feature race on Saturday’s Redcar card. The Fahey trained gelding was steered to victory by Barry McHugh and scored by over a length.

Dark Jedi was victorious at Hamilton on Sunday on his second start for new trainer Tim Easterby. The four-year-old was a ready winner of the Scottish track’s feature race to give his new owners and trainer a welcome victory.

Dark Jedi looks to have many more winning days ahead of him.