BEVERLEY RACES: Road On Track For Needler

North Yorkshire trainer Tony Coyle expects big things from New Road Side in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley on Saturday.

The speedy filly will be given an entry in the prestigious five-furlong dash on the Westwood after she shaped promisingly at York on Friday.

New Road Side was sent off the 5-1 favourite for the Listed Marygate Fillies’ Stakes, having won a Southwell maiden on her debut in April, and showed plenty of early pace before finishing fifth behind Delizia.

The £25,000 Hilary Needler Trophy is often used as a stepping stone for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Coyle hopeful his inmate can make the grade at a good level this summer.

“We were happy with her at York, but she didn’t quite get home, I don’t think,” said the Norton handler.

“It’s easy to say now, but perhaps I was a bit too soft with her at home before the race, and maybe that told late on.

“She came out of York very well, though, and we still think we’ve got a good one on our hands.

“We’ll give her plenty of work on the grass this week, and then we’ll look to Beverley.

“The Hilary Needler looks the perfect race for her and she should have no problems handling the track.

“Her sire, Paco Boy, loves firm going, but she’s pretty versatile with whatever the ground might be like.

“We still think she’s a very, very good filly.”

The historic Hilary Needler Trophy, most significantly won by the great Attraction in 2003, shares top billing on the card with the Brian Yeardley Continental Two-Year-Old Trophy.

Now worth £25,000 in prize-money, the five-furlong conditions stakes is for two-year-old colts and geldings and has also been used as a launchpad for Royal Ascot.

Recent winners Midterm Break and Bungle Inthejungle ended up running in the Windsor Castle Stakes, while 2011 scorer Gabrial competed in the Coventry Stakes a month later and has since claimed victory in the Lincoln at Doncaster in March.

The official going at Beverley is good to firm, with a long-range forecast for sunshine and showers ahead of the seven-race fixture, which is due to start at 2.05pm.