NORTH-EAST trainer Michael Smith raised the roof at a rainy Newcastle on the first day of the Northumberland Plate meeting.

Smith, who trains at Kirkheaton in Northumberland, won the feature tradersbettingexchange.co.uk Seaton Delaval Handicap with the gutsy front-runner Vito Volterra.

The four-year-old, claimed out of Andy Haynes’ yard for just £6,000, has been in cracking form of late and finished second in the Carlisle Bell just 24 hours earlier.

After breaking well to claim his customary position at the head of affairs under Adrian Nicholls, the 13-2 chance fought off the challenges of Prince Of Dance and Arabian Spirit to win by a neck and three-quarters of a length.

‘‘He’s been busy,’’ said Smith of the winner.

‘‘I gave him his supper at Carlisle and he ate up fine so I thought we may as well run him. He’s as hard as nails.

‘‘When he gets his own way in front he’s very difficult to pass and he found extra today when they came at him, but I was getting a bit worried.

‘‘If he’s in front a furlong out it takes a good one to get by him. This meeting is my Royal Ascot and the dream is to one day win the Plate.’’ Another trainer to taste success close to home was Brian Ellison with his old favourite John Forbes.

Now a nine-year-old, he broke his maiden at Gosforth Park at the corresponding meeting seven years ago on the Saturday.

Sent off the 9-4 favourite to follow up a recent win in an apprentice race, he swamped top-weight Rosewin to win by a length and a quarter.

‘‘Seven years ago on Saturday he won here as a two-yearold,’’ said Ellison.

‘‘He’s named after my dad and it’s amazing he turned out so good really.

‘‘I don’t have many running in my colours now because I’m always trying to sell them, but I won’t sell him.’’ Ellison then dead-heated in the next when Dane Cottage (7-1) was adjudged to have joined Pattern Mark (12-1) right on the line in the Ignition Festival Handicap.

Ollie Pears’ Pattern Mark, under Paul Hanagan, had won the race last year but Richard Kingscote just got a share of the spoils to give Ellison his double.

Champion jockey Hanagan then secured a double of his own when the heavily supported Ted’s Brother (16-1 into 4-1 in the morning) streaked clear in the CFK Fun Day 31st July Handicap.

Richard Guest’s three-yearold drifted back out to 7-1 at the off but the early confidence was not misplaced.

‘‘We thought he was nice last year, but he completely lost his way,’’ said Guest.

‘‘We gave him a run on the all-weather but he hated that.

However, he really has come to himself in the last few weeks.’’ Tom Tate has a nice juvenile on his hands in the shape of Parc De Launay who remained unbeaten after the tradersbettingexchange.co.uk Novice Stakes.

Sent off the 6-4 favourite after a winning debut at Ripon, the Jamie Spencer-ridden colt has a bright future ahead of him.

Tim Easterby’s Piece By Piece made a bold bid up the rail also but the winner prevailed by a neck with just a head back to Kenny Powers.

It is not often a Godolphin newcomer is allowed to go off at 16-1 in the North-East but that was the case with Citizen’s Charter in the Coopers Marquees Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

Winning jockey Ahmed Ajtebi said of Mahmood Al Zarooni’s colt: ‘‘I didn’t come expecting to win today but he’s done it easily.’’