Northumberland Plate win for Roger Charlton's Quest For More

George Baker is an infrequent visitor to Newcastle but the rider left Tyneside on Saturday with the two biggest races of the track's year in the bag, including the final John Smith's Northumberland Plate to be run on turf with Quest For More.

Trainer Roger Charlton feared the handicapper had caught up with his five-year-old, who had risen a stone in the weights from just two runs this season.

Punters still fancied his chances, though, and sent him off the 15/2 second-favourite behind local hope Seamour.

Seamour was one of four runners for Brian Ellison, who gets more desperate to win the prize with each passing year as a north-east native, but having travelled strongly into the straight from his bad draw, the market leader faded into sixth.

Clever Cookie, heavily backed in the morning, was a late non-runner due to the ground quickening up under clear blue skies.

Quest For More was among the leading contenders for the two-mile feature following a recent victory at Goodwood and Baker had the 15/2 second-favourite well positioned from the start, racing in midfield against the rail.

He remained full of running passing the three-furlong marker and quickened nicely through a tight gap to give himself every chance a furlong out.

Willie Mullins' Max Dynamite came from the clouds to try and mount a challenge as the line loomed, but Quest For More showed no signs of stopping and was well on top as he passed the post a length and a quarter to the good.

Max Dynamite was second, ahead of Nearly Caught in third, with last year's one-two Angel Gabrial and Suegioo close up in fourth and fifth respectively (Sky Bet punters were paid out on fifth for the each-way bets).

"I haven't actually seen the race as I was involved with getting Huntsmans Close (who won) down to the start following his antics last week," said Charlton, speaking from Windsor.

"The first I knew about it was when someone came and congratulated me.

"The surprising thing is he looked an exposed handicapper last year, creeping up the weights, but after today's race it is not stretching it to suggest he has found another 20lb of improvement from somewhere - as to where from I have no idea.

"Handicaps are out now, so we'll be looking at Listed and Group races as the prize money is in the bank. He's in the Goodwood Cup, but races like that will be very hard to win."

A jubilant Baker added: "He travelled great, we needed a smooth run through and we got it. The key to him is his high cruising speed, and he has the ability to get out of trouble.

"We were drawn well, but you still need a smooth passage and he was slow to stride so I was a bit further back than I wanted to be.

"This race is very hard to win, as every year there are so many hard luck stories.

"It's normally such a rough race, but I had such a smooth passage round. When he got there he was just playing with me a little bit.

"He's improved so much through the winter, he is much more straightforward and willing and every year he keeps improving.

"Roger is very patient with his horses and is extremely good at what he does."

Martin Harley rode Max Dynamite and he said: "It was a great run, there were no hard luck stories from me. Willie left me with a blank page for instructions and I could do what I wanted. I just missed the kick slightly, which meant I was four-wide turning in.

"He finished off really well, but I saw George was still on the bridle and I knew he'd be hard to beat."

Robert Havlin, rider of Nearly Caught, said: "He's run a cracker and he might have nearly won if the race was last night as he prefers a bit more cut in the ground."