Tap the Honey is first to enjoy sweet taste of success on Newcastle's Tapeta

A view of the action at Newcastle Racecourse yesterday (Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire).

The three-year-old gelding, trained at Leyburn by Karl Burke and ridden by Joey Haynes, came out on top in the inaugural race on the surface pioneered by legendary Yorkshire trainer Michael Dickinson.

Haynes said: “He’s done it nicely. I couldn’t fault the track at all. It was riding lovely and fair for all of us.”

It was a welcome winner for Burke – and on his 53rd birthday – as his team has not been firing on all cylinders.

On a day that saw Yorkshire-trained runners win seven out of eight races, Malton trainer Peter Niven followed up Clever Cookie’s high-profile win at York last Friday when Barwah prevailed under the in-form Jack Garritty.

Racing off a lowly mark of 48, Niven praised the new track. He said: “It walks lovely here, but I thought it might ride a bit deeper than they are saying it is.”

Simonsig is set to take his chance in the Prix La Barka at Auteuil on Saturday.

Trainer Nicky Henderson reports the injury-plagued grey to be ready to return to action after finishing third to God’s Own at Punchestown last month.

That was only his second start since he won the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March 2013.