Silaah is looking fine and Dandy for Newcastle's Gosforth Park Cup

Silaah can preserve Dandy Nicholls' fine record in the Deloitte Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle.

The Thirsk handler has won the five-furlong affair, considered the hors d'oeuvre before Saturday's Northumberland Plate, twice in the last five years.

And in Silaah, he appears to have an animal possessing the correct profile to win a handicap of such ferocity.

The gelding's second behind Singeur at Thirsk last time was encouraging. The seven-year-old lost out by half a length to the subsequent Beverley winner and Ayr Gold Cup contender, but he really ought to have won, having hung badly right inside the final furlong.

That said, he has only gone up 3lb, so Nicholls may consider that Thirsk run to have been something of a moral victory.

Silaah should be hitting his peak in the sprinting ranks, given his age, and is obviously in the right hands for a chance in this valuable handicap.

Principal Role looks the star turn earlier on the card in the EBF "Kheleyf" Hoppings Stakes.

A Listed winner against her own sex at Newbury last May, Henry Cecil's filly should take some hauling back here.