Forest fires Godolphin bid

Godolphin's Friston Forest heads a maximum field of 20 in the John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday. The five-year-old was last seen finishing a short-head behind Caracciola at York, form which was given a big boost at Royal Ascot last week when the winner took the Queen Alexandra Stakes.Michael Bell's The Betchworth Kid is next in line and will be ridden by promising apprentice Jamie Kyne, while Jane Chapple-Hyam's Ascot Stakes hero Judgethemoment is turned out quickly under a penalty.Other interesting contenders include Mick Channon's Som Tala, the Henry Cecil-trained Ajaan, Sir Michael Stoute's Meethaaq and Walter Swinburn's hat-trick seeking Hendersyde.Jessica Harrington's Speed Ticket is the sole challenger from Ireland after last year's winner Arc Bleu was a notable absentee.Speed Ticket is stepping up to two miles for the first time on the level but Harrington is confident he will be up to the task.She told At The Races: "He was with Luca Cumani last year and then he came to me so we gave him one run over hurdles and two runs on the Flat and I've been very pleased with him."The handler added: "Looking at his pedigree he should stay and maybe there is a slight concern about the ground. He has won at Windsor on good to firm so I'm hoping he can go on it.You've got to have a bit of luck in running but I'm hoping if everything goes well in the race he'll run very well."Som Tala arrives in Newcastle on the back of a fine fifth place finish in last week's Ascot Stakes and trainer Mick Channon believes he is more than capable of making his presence felt at Gosforth Park.Channon told At The Races: "He's come out of Ascot really well and I was very pleased with him so I feel we have got to take our chance at Newcastle as it's a great opportunity."He's had his problems and is not the soundest horse in the world but he's come out of Ascot well and I feel we have got to go and have a go at a big prize. He's been very consistent and he's only been for the big staying races and never lets us down."