Newcastle preview: Summer Icon can score for Channon

Summer Icon has shaped with promise in two starts, and can open her account in the 6f maiden on this evening’s card at Newcastle (18.35) now eased in grade.

The Mick Channon trained filly showed plenty of pace on her debut at Chepstow over 6f until weakening inside the final furlong to finish a not knocked about sixth of 13 to Dubai’s Secret.

Summer Icon was then stepped up to 7f and ran better than her final finishing position suggests when fifth of nine to Marenko in a class 4 contest at Ascot.

The daughter of Sixties Icon raced keenly the the rear until keeping on from the furlong marker under tender handling to be beaten 7 1/4 lengths.

It was an effort which suggested there was better to come, and the runner-up Light Up The World went on to score next time up to give the form a solid look in the context of this lower grade class 6 contest.

This drop back down to 6f should also suit and, with further improvement on the cards, this looks a nice opening for Summer Icon to get off the mark.

Ad Vitam posted a cracking effort when runner-up last time out and holds outstanding claims of going one better in the 6f handicap (20.15).

The Suzanne France trained gelding went down by just one length to Mon Brave in a competitive class 4 contest at York, leading two from home until being headed deep inside the last.

Ad Vitam is now able to race in this much lower grade class 6 contest off just 2lb higher, and reproduction of that run is going to make the seven-year-old very hard to beat.