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.

So impressive in a lucrative Newbury handicap on his seasonal reappearance last month, Roger Charlton’s three-year-old was a heavily supported 15-8 favourite stepped up to Group Three level.

Dual Cambridgeshire winner Bronze Angel heads a maximum field of 22 for the Betway Lincoln at Doncaster tomorrow.

Dermot Weld’s Stuccodor will have to carry top weight to victory if he bids for back-to-back wins in the Tote Irish Lincolnshire on Sunday as the Irish Flat season gets under way at the Currgah.

Grand National-winning rider Jason Maguire appears set to miss this year’s renewal of the Aintree spectacular on April 11.

Crime writer Ruth Rendell is in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke.

Crime writer Ruth Rendell is in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke, her publisher said today.

Top amateur Robbie McNamara has decided to turn professional and will have his first rides in his new capacity at Gowran Park tomorrow.

James Nash reports his Guinness Kerry National hero Your Busy to be in flying form following Wednesday’s big-race success and is looking forward to further glory over the big fences at Aintree.

Eddie Lynam has enjoyed unprecedented success with his raids on the top British sprints this year through Sole Power and Slade Power and he plundered another big one yesterday with the two-year-old Agnes Stewart, an impressive winner of the John Smith’s Extra Smooth May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Saturday’s Betfred Sprint Cup winner G Force has been pencilled in for a first overseas trip with Hong Kong on the agenda at the end of the three-year-old’s campaign.

Owner Barry Hurley is dreaming of Group One glory in Dubai after Captain Cat strutted his stuff in the betfred.com Superior Mile at Haydock.

Jockeys in the totepool Supporting The Sport You Love Handicap at Epsom yesterday escaped punishment despite the runners completing the full five furlongs after a false start had been called.

Brian Ellison vowed to return to Galway after Baraweez and Pacific Heights gave him a one-three in the €100,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap on the final day of the Festival.

Cotai Glory shone as brightly as the Glorious Goodwood sunshine yesterday as he offered Charlie Hills some respite with his first British Group winner of the season in the bet365 Molecomb Stakes.

Kingman has been given the go-ahead to meet top four-year-old Toronado in tomorrow’s Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Thistle Bird struck Group One gold at the age of six as she dispelled any stamina concerns with an emphatic victory in the Newbridge Silverware Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

Bookmakers finally clawed back some of the losses from what had a been a punter-friendly Royal Ascot as the six races on day four of the showpiece meeting failed to produce a single winning favourite.

Seal Of Approval turned the Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes at Ascot into a procession.

Jim Bolger reports Dawn Approach to be fully recovered from a setback and on course for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

At 83, Ruth Rendell is still writing a novel a year and is as reluctant to slip into retirement as her long-time hero, former Chief Inspector Wexford, she tells Hannah Stephenson

Cirrus Des Aigles continued his worrying decline with yet another defeat at Deauville yesterday.

Diplomat booked his ticket to join Dermot Weld’s all-conquering Galway Festival team with an easy victory in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle at Sligo yesterday.

Hong Kong’s domination of Singapore’s most prestigious meeting of the year was completed when John Moore posted a magnificent one-two after Military Attack was chased home by stablemate Dan Excel in the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji yesterday.

Champion jockey-elect Richard Hughes is hoping lightning can strike twice in the Betfred Cesarewitch at Newmarket today.

The Turf Club announced yesterday that, following a course inspection at Tipperary, the sprint course was unfit for racing due to waterlogging.

Bated Breath served further notice he is a sprinter to be reckoned with when producing a smart performance to land the Betfred.com Temple Stakes at Haydock.

Trainer Eddie Lynam feels Sole Power has “a good opportunity” of racking up back-to-back wins in the Betfred.com Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

Frankel is likely to stick to a mile for at least his next race before the champion colt is asked to step up in trip.

William Buick made the best possible return to riding in Britain by winning on his first mount of 2012 in the Bet At Blue Square Maiden Stakes at Lingfield this afternoon.

Corydalis is the gift that keeps on giving... and giving, Charlie Wilkins reports

George Baker faces a spell on the sidelines after breaking an arm in a fall at Wolverhampton last night.

WINS from Jack’s Revenge and Franciscan at Leicester saw Kieren Fallon erode Paul Hanagan’s lead in the jockeys’ championship to seven.

Wins from Jack’s Revenge and Franciscan at Leicester saw Kieren Fallon erode Paul Hanagan’s lead in the jockeys’ championship to seven.

George Baker felt Kieren Fallon made all the difference as National Hope scored a second career success in the Best Offers At JustBookies.com Handicap at Folkestone.

Dance And Dance heads the weights for the totesport Mile at Goodwood on Friday.

Wokingham winner Deacon Blues is among a monster entry of 136 for the Blue Square Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood on July 30.

Genki will return to the highest level in the July Cup after recording his first Pattern-race success in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle.

Fame And Glory continued Ballydoyle’s great tradition in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot this afternoon.

AIDAN O’BRIEN opened his account for the week at Royal Ascot, as did Ryan Moore, with a hard-fought success for the unbeaten Power in the Coventry Stakes.

Sienna Miller has reportedly rekindled her romance with DJ Slinky Wizard.

Miss Work Of Art gave champion jockey Paul Hanagan his first winner of the new season at Lingfield last month and she provided him with his 28th at Ascot.

Exclusive new syndicate Decadent Racing made a perfect start as their first runner Morermaloke won in style at Lingfield today.