rewrite this title Spirit Mixer makes it third time lucky in the Northumberland Plate

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

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 of 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.

“I 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.

“There’s a great crowd here today – I don’t usually make the trek up north this far! I put it in my Sat Nav and it’s just over five hours to get home, so this will make it a bit easier.”

He added: “He’s such a cool horse, he’s seven years old now and a beautifully-bred homebred of Mr Smith’s. He’s just thriving and really enjoying his racing at his tender age.

“The race went pretty smooth. I thought I was jostling for the lead early enough, but he got into a battle and outstayed them then inside the last furlong.

“It’s important to be riding winners on Saturdays in these big races and I’ve been fortunate enough to win a July Cup in these colours (on Alcohol Free), they mean a great deal to me, as does riding winners for Kingsclere.

“What a joy he is to own and to train and to ride.”