ASTROCHARM (2.40) is the each-way advice at enticing odds of around 16-1 or better for this afternoon's John Smith's Northumberland Plate.

With £180,000 prize-money up for grabs, the two-mile Tyneside corker has unsurprisingly attracted a hot field but that's no deterrent to owner Mystic Meg, who's hoping to land one of Europe's most valuable handicaps.

Trainer Mark Tompkins has clearly laid the six-year-old out for the race, a plan which included running Astrocharm as recently as last Sunday at Pontefract.

It was to my eyes the perfect preparation since she finished a close-up third to Godolphin's Songlark over 12 furlongs, doing all of her best work in the final stages of the Listed Castle Stakes.

"Astrocharm will be much better and improve significantly once we step her up in distance," revealed Tompkins, dropping a heavy hint that his mare might be a force to be reckoned with in today's contest.

As far as the ante-post exchanges go, there has been one of the biggest gambles in the history of the event on Alan Swinbank's Far Pavilions, who is as low as 5-2 in some books.

It doesn't need me to remind readers that such skinny odds represent poor value in what is a hugely competitive heat and Far Pavilions won't be carrying my money.

"Far Pavilions is a very good horse, as good as I've had, including current stable-star Group 2 winner Collier Hill," says Swinbank, one the shrewdest operators in the game.

However, as the Melsony-near-Darlington handler knows, a large slice of good fortune in the race is always required and it's not hard to recall that Collier Hill was quite badly hampered when fourth in the 2004 renewal.

Those of the opinion that three-year-olds shouldn't take on their elders until after next month's Coral-Eclipse may have to eat humble pie if, as anticipated, Beckermet (2.10) takes a hand in the opening Group 3 Chipchase Stakes

Roger Fisher's speedster ran the race of his life to snatch second spot behind Iffraaj in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last Saturday.

It was familiar story line for the luckless Beckermet, who keeps hitting the woodwork but by all accounts is going to find the back of the net sooner rather than later.

In the following totesport6 Northern Sprint, any further rain will hugely enhance the prospects of Mecca's Mate (2.20).

Mecca's Mate has been going from strength-to-strength this term, registering her latest success in authoritative fashion with a runaway Ayr victory just seven days ago.

At the same Scottish meeting, Go Padero (3.45) failed to justify a flood of cash (6's to 7-2) just before the off in a race won by Acomb. On a more positive note, each-way punters at least got their stakes returned as Go Padero finished third.

Acomb then went on to secure an 11-4 winning nap for the column at Epsom on Wednesday evening, a triumph which I reckon puts Go Padero bang in the firing line for the Good Morning Handicap over seven-furlongs.

Having talked up the chances of Cripsey Brook at Redcar last week, it was gut-wrenching to witness Chris Thornton's gelding hemmed in behind a wall of horses at the two-furlong pole.

Jockey Neil Pollard eventually managed to find daylight but Tim Easterby's Go Tech had scooted clear and held enough of an advantage to hold off Cripsey Brook's late flourish.

The more wide-open galloping nature of Newcastle's track should help Pollard keep his mount out of trouble, in which case the mile-and-a-quarter totesport Handicap could be there for the taking