Fox Tal tackles a mile for the first time since his juvenile season in the Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Conditions Stakes (5.15pm) at Newcastle on Friday, January 13, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 All-Weather Mile Championships.
The seven-year-old boasts some high-class form over middle distances for Andrew Balding, most notably when fourth behind Magical in the 2019 G1 Champion Stakes.
Fox Tal’s most recent victory came at Wolverhampton last January, which he followed up with a luckless third in Qatar’s H H The Amir Trophy before missing the remainder of the 2022 campaign through injury.
Alastair Donald, racing manager for owner King Power Racing, said: “Fox Tal had a setback after running in Doha, which kept him off the track for the rest of the year, so it is nice to get him back.
“We are interested to see how he gets on back over a mile, as he has always travelled so strongly and is quite quirky.
“We feel Newcastle is the right place to give it a go, given the stiff nature of the track, and we should learn something for the future.
“Plans are fluid at the moment but I suspect we will be looking at an All-Weather Championships programme after this, with races like the Winter Derby looking a good option.”
Archie Watson’s Excel Power ended 2022 in excellent form, taking out a class two handicap at Chelmsford before a narrow defeat in a similar contest at Wolverhampton.
Simon & Ed Crisford will aim to continue the yard’s strong start to the year with Intuitive, who has finished behind Excel Power on his last two starts.
Power Of States makes his first appearance for Mick Appleby and Middleham Park Racing, having won six times on the all-weather for previous trainer Hugo Palmer.
Course and distance scorer Chichester lines up for Keith Dalgleish, while Iain Jardine saddles Abolish, the winner of a six-furlong handicap at Ripon last year.
