Jul 02, 2024

Race Preview: Friday 5 July

Course specialist Carrigeen Kampala looks for her fifth Newton Abbot win on Friday when she will carry top weight in the Class 3 newtonabbotracing.com Handicap Hurdle, feature event of a seven-race card that gets underway at 2.15pm.

Carrigeen Kampala has no easy task giving weight to all her rivals, but is a consistent mare who will give her backers a run for their money. The danger looks to be Stratford winner Finest View, trained by Alan King, who was in good form at the course on Tuesday evening, winning with both his runners. Jumeirah King got off the mark in a maiden hurdle at Worcester and has been raised 12lbs by the handicapper for that win, but runs here from his old mark of 99, plus a 7lb penalty, so is well-in compared to future races.

A winner of two point-to-points, All Night Parking made a promising debut under Rules when fourth to Ramensky at the last meeting, a run that suggests he could be in the shake-up in the opening St Austell Brewery Maiden Hurdle. He will need to step up on that performance, however, to close the gap on Eileen’s Milan, who showed improvement on his previous run behind stable companion Huelgoat to chase home the winner that day.

The Onlywayiswessex has been raised 9lbs for his comfortable Stratford win, but could still follow up in the Big Tolns Ferrnott, Big Day Out Handicap Chase at the expense of dual chase winner Tonto Foley.

Clearance, who also had an entry in the feature race, will be seeking his seventh course win in the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle. He is usually ridden by Tom Cannon, who would have been claimed to ride Finest View in that race, but is free to take the ride here. Clearance will face a re-match with Songo whom he beat 7 ½ lengths here in May and, at the weights, it should be much closer this time.

Five times a winner over hurdles, The Height Of Fame is another to consider with Gavin Sheehan back in the saddle but, although he only won by a length last time, Clearance looked to have a bit in hand and can score again.

Hold Your Fort, a 23 length-winner at the last meeting, runs again in the William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Chase and, if in the same form, should make light of his 7lb penalty

There were 33 entries for the closing Racing Partnership TRP Mares’ Handicap Hurdle and, with 18 declared to run, has been divided into two with nine runners in each division.

After gaining experience at the top Irish stable of Willie Mullins, Fern O’Brien is now riding as a conditional jockey to her rather Fergal and will be on top-weight Stowaway Jess in the first division. They look to have Auditoria to beat, although Dancingontheedge has shown a couple of times that she has a race in her and could be well-weighted.

Maroochi kept on well behind Saint Bibiana here at the beginning of June and, with the winner franking the form with another success at Cartmel a week ago, could take the second division at the expense of Luna Run, who just failed to beat outsider Jolie Bay at Ffos Las last time.