Kevin Blake’s team came out on top in a titanic tussle for the trophy last year but looked out of the running heading to Gosforth Park for night five of six.
However, Irish eyes were smiling in the north east as the defending champions roared back into some form of contention thanks to their four winners on the night.
It leaves them 110.5 points behind Wales and The West who take a 41.5 lead over London and The South to Nottinghamshire – mainly in thanks to Harry Charlton’s Ten Pounds (9-2) who claimed the feature tote.co.uk Let’s Gan Into Toon Racing League R35 Handicap in the manner of a top-class horse.
Blake said: “This looked the most competitive fixture of the competition so far and the North, Scotland and Yorkshire all had a big team of runners.
“I didn’t think anyone would be individually performing very well but when the luck bounces your way you take it.
“I thought I had a good, solid team, but I could just as easily had no winner and a bunch of them run well so you have to take it.”
Road To Wembley gave the Irish a brilliant start as Richard Hughes’ 2-1 favourite showed plenty of resolution to hold off the strong challenge of Sir Mark Prescott’s hat-trick seeking Almudena.
Finley Marsh’s mount lead home a one-three for the team in green in the tote.co.uk Wey Aye The Placepot Racing League R29 Handicap with the winning rider having plenty of confidence in the improving stayer.
Marsh said: “It was good placement from the boss and he got a good allowance here with the three-year-old allowance.
“It was a tactical race and they went slow and turned into a sprint. I had to get him ready and let him go when I did, I would rather have waited but I had full confidence in the horse.
“I saw a few creeping up on the outside as we knew it was going to be a sprint, but he picked up and I got a nice split and I didn’t mind kicking three-furlongs down as I knew he was going to get to the line and I couldn’t pull him up afterwards.”
There was drama before the off in the tote.co.uk Alreet Pet Racing League R30 Handicap as the East region’s big hope, Sir Michael Stoute’s Fox Legacy, was withdrawn at the start and allowing Andrew Slattery’s Irish raider Cloud Seeker to claim the spoils at odds of 5-1.
Marsh was then on the scoresheet for the second time in the tote.co.uk’s Canny Good Like Racing League R31 Handicap when Mark Loughnane’s Bright (12-1) continued Ireland’s fine night in the north east, before Kamboo gave Hughes a second winner of the evening and Ireland there fourth.
A runner in both the Derby and at Royal Ascot this summer, the son of Awtaad was sent off the 9-4 favourite for the tote.co.uk Howay The Lads Racing League R32 Handicap in the hands of Cieren Fallon and could have a bright future.
“He’s a beautiful horse who moves well and covers the ground easy,” Fallon told Sky Sports Racing.
“He’s got a great attitude, he’s off a really nice mark and I think he’s going to go through the ranks especially moving up in trip.”
The North registered a victory on their home patch as Newcastle’s own Brian Ellison saddled Tolstoy (15-2) to win the tote.co.uk Howay The Lasses Racing League R33 Handicap.
Team manager Mick Quinn said: “We’re on the board at our home track and it’s great to have at least one winner here.
“I’ve told Kevin from Ireland he won’t have another winner before the end of the meeting.”
Early pacesetters the East lost their position at the top of the standings at Windsor last week, but remain with a puncher’s chance of Racing League glory after James Fanshawe’s Heathcliff (6-1) sealed a maximum 25 points in the tote.co.uk Pure Belta Racing League R34 Handicap.
They finished the evening in third place in the table on 626 points, 63.5 adrift of Jamie Osborne’s 2022 champions Wales and The West.
