Another big win for McCain Chester Cup winner Ile De Re completed a notable double when landing the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle under Jim Crowley. Donald McCain's charge was sent-off the 5-2 favourite and showed tremendous resolution through the final furlong to fend off Crackentorp (16-1) by half-a-length. Icon Dream (20-1) and French Hollow (20-1) filled the minor placings in an attritional renewal of the famous race run on very testing ground. Crowley said: "It's fantastic. I used to ride a lot of jump winners round here so it's a race I've always wanted to win. "We got caught wide early on which wasn't where I wanted to be but I let him bowl along down the back and used his stamina and it's won him the race. "He tries his hardest but he's absolutely knackered. I wanted to make a lot of use of him from a long way out to take the sting out of the others. I'm lucky to be riding the horse for good owners and a good trainer. It's hard work, it's like being jumping again." McCain said: "He got stuck out a bit wide and a bit far back and then got a bit keen, so Jim let him get on with it. "It meant he was in front a long way from home but people know our horses, they tend to be in that position often and whenever one has come to him he's gone again. When I saw Graham Lee behind him (Icon Dream) I was panicking a bit! "I had him three weeks before Chester. It was nice to get him home and give him a few quiet weeks. "Callum Whillans rides him every day and does a great job. I've got a great team at home and when we have a target, it's not very often they get it wrong. I don't know what's next, he's a very well-handicapped hurdler!"
