Jul 30, 2018

Newton Abbot Racecourse Preview Monday 30 July 2018

The meetings come thick and fast at Newton Abbot at this time of the year and the course has the jumps action to itself this afternoon with a seven-race card that gets underway at 1.40pm with the Racing Partnership Novices’ Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles.

Restricted to horses that have not won more than three hurdle races, just five have been declared to run and it looks to be a match between the two previous winners, Haul Away and The Last But One.

Haul Away, who was also entered in a handicap at Uttoxeter yesterday, won as his starting price suggested at Southwell, earning a rating of 124. His trainer Nicky Henderson is looking for a sixth championship and, with the galaxy of stars in his Lambourn stable, could well close the gap on ten-times title holder Paul Nicholls, although both have some way to go to catch Martin Pipe, who landed his 15th title back in 2004/05.

Nicholls, who is by far the leading trainer over the course in recent years, has been finding winners hard to come by here this season, but his representative The Last But One, three times a winner over fences, finally got off the mark over hurdles at the eighth attempt when beating Play The Ace at Worcester last Thursday.

The hat-trick seeking Mrsrobin was withdrawn at Uttoxeter yesterday and wouldn’t want the ground to get any softer. The first of her two wins came off a rating of 85 and she now races from a mark of 108, so needs to improve again to take the following Jill Williams Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase.
Her trainer Dan Skelton remains in good form, having notched up 70 winners going into yesterday afternoon’s racing. Considering that he didn’t reach the 50-winner mark last season until August 4th, he looks to be well on target to set another career-best total.

David John landed a hurdle race here last month for Herefordshire trainer Tom Lacey and jockey Robbie Dunne from a rating of 107 and, reverting to fences from the same mark, looks the obvious danger.

Highlight of the afternoon is the Class 3 Welcome Back Sean Dooner Handicap Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs in which Skelton runs Red Tornado from his three entries. He routed the opposition at Stratford last time out, but will now need a career-best performance to win from his new handicap mark of 133. Such was the ease of his victory and the form of the Skelton horses, he will be well fancied to go in again.

All three of top-weight Sleep Easy’s wins have come with give in the ground and, although the track has been watered throughout the summer, the going is likely to be too fast for him. Although Mister Fizz has won from a higher rating in the past, the 10 year-old’s defeat of Angel Of Harlem at Southwell sees him now racing from a mark of 131 which may prove too much.

Golden Vision represents the Skelton yard in the At The Races Sky 415 Novices’ Handicap Chase over an extended two miles. He was pulled up at Warwick in March when returning from a year’s absence and wind surgery and has undergone two more procedures, so it may pay to take a chance with top-weight Rebel Yeats.

Although three times a winner over hurdles, her jumping has to be taken on trust, as she fell and refused in her first two Irish point-to-points, completing the course to finish runner-up to The Wicket Chicken in the third.

There was a good entry of 18 for the Jon Hearne Memorial Handicap Hurdle and all but four have stood their ground, headed by the 111-rated Ormskirk, who still looking for his first win over jumps after twelve attempts.

Dual course winner Bulletproof has come down in the weights but, at the age of twelve, is vulnerable to some younger rivals and finished last behind Tamarillo Grove here in June. The winner returned to the course earlier this month, losing nothing in defeat when going down to Barkis, but has been given an extra 1lb to carry for his troubles.

Alexandra Dunn’s Thahab Ifraj stepped up on his first run of the season here to finish runner-up to G’Day Aussie at Stratford eight days ago to suggest that his turn won’t be far away.

Amalfi Doug, last seen out when well down the field at Stratford in April, wouldn’t be the first horse to benefit from a move to the Skelton academy and could be well-handicapped in the Independent Racecourses Limited, IRL Novices’ Handicap Chase. Although still to win, he has a couple of bits of form over hurdles to suggest he has a race in him.

There is not much form to go on in the concluding National Hunt Flat Race and any market support for debutant Primal Focus, who finished runner-up in his only start in an Irish point-to-point, would be significant.

However, that run came on soft ground over a trip of three miles and he may find one or two of these a bit too speedy, particularly Sid Hoodie, who was having her third start when runner-up to odds-on favourite Full Bore here earlier this month, with the Philip Hobbs trained Good Little Wife back in fourth.

Gates open at 11.40 and tickets can be bought at the gates today.