Newcastle winner Red Avenger.
Not even the width of the wire could separate Red Avenger and Eutropius at Newcastle on Thursday as our horse got his season back on track when dead heating with Alan Swinbank’s charge in a thrilling finish to the mile handicap.
Following a trio of lacklustre performances, Red Avenger had slipped to an appealing mark judged on his win in the Goodwood Mile last summer, and reunited with Graham Lee he battled bravely inside the final furlong to join Eutropius on the line.
The pair were nicely clear of last-time-out winner Lacan, but a stronger gallop and genuinely firm ground will suit our horse, so he might well be able to combat a rise returned to those conditions in the middle of the summer. A trip back to the Glorious meeting next month would now have to come under strong consideration.
Congratulations to his owner Mr Arculli, who deserved a change of fortune, and to his lad Johnny, who was leading up his first winner here.