Bentley sweating on dream ride

Harry Bentley, who cut his teeth as an apprentice in Dubai, is praying for sunshine ahead of Saturday's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle where he is booked to ride the Queen's horse Tactician. It will the first time in his fledgling career that the 5lb claimer will don the famous silks of Her Majesty, and he admits to being all keyed up. "It's definitely very exciting and an absolute honour to ride for Her Majesty the Queen, but my biggest worry is the ground," Bentley told Gulf News from England. "It's been one of my biggest ambitions to put on the Royal silks and I never thought that it would happen this early in my career. "But everything still hinges on the surface at Newcastle and the reports indicate that the ground is likely to be on the soft side," said Bentley. "Tactician's pedigree says he should be able to act on soft ground but he hasn't done so yet. His trainer Mr [Michael] Bell believes that he's a much better horse on good ground and is not prepared to risk him on soft ground. "So at this point of time his chances of running are still up in the air, but we are very hopeful. "He's a very nice horse and I'm really looking forward to riding him in the race." Bell, who is looking for his second success in the Northumberland Plate after Jumper Girl in 2006, has threatened to withdraw Tactician should the ground not be suitable at Newcastle's biggest race meeting. Waiting game "Unfortunately he doesn't like soft ground and we will monitor the weather over the next 48 hours and then decide whether to declare him or not," he said in the Racing Post. "We will wait until Thursday [today] morning before deciding. "He is in great form and has been targeted for the race pretty much all season. It just depends what the weather does." Commenting on the choice of Bentley, Bell said: "Given the amount of meetings, with Jamie Spencer retained, it is difficult to get another big-name jockey, so we took the view to go for the best apprentice available and we can claim 5lb over two miles. Bentley made a big impression during his Dubai stint when he finished sixth in the jockey's championship and even had the distinction of seeing his name figure ahead of Frankie Dettori, who rode 14 winners, on the jockey's standings. He also realised another personal ambition when he made his Royal Ascot debut last week. "It was simply amazing, the atmosphere was brilliant," Bentley said. "I've watched racing at Royal Ascot many times but to be actually riding is something else. It's a great feeling. Perhaps it was a bit of a personal disappointment as the results were not there. But I'm in no hurry. I just want to pick up as many rides as I can and ride in as many racecourses, to gain some experience. Hopefully things will start to happen sooner or later." Bentley has ridden for over 16 leading trainers at as many racecourses in the UK, with Brighton and Kempton supplying him with his most successes. From gulfnews.