Sep 03, 2024

Race preview: Monday 9 September 2024

Although summer has gone and autumn is fast approaching, there are still five meetings to come at Newton Abbot this year starting with today’s six-race card that gets underway at 2.05pm with the follow@attheraces On Twitter Handicap Hurdle.

Disappointingly, just three have been declared for this long-distance contest, the most valuable race of the afternoon, with the weights headed by Investment Manager, three times a course winner over fences, the last being on soft ground at the end of May. He has had a summer break and resumes on a handicap mark 7lbs lower than his chase rating.

Paddy De Pole was a wide-margin winner at Hereford in May, but has been beaten three times since from higher handicap marks and Mr Yeats, who has been declared for this race rather than a later chase, won twice here in September two years ago.

Dan Skelton has chosen hat-trick seeking Beat Box from his two entries in the St Austell Brewery Handicap Chase and, at the weights, looks the one to beat. Magistrato has won twice over fences, including beating Kauto The King, a winner at the last meeting, here in July, and races from just a 1lb higher mark today.

There is a much more competitive line-up for the attheraces.com Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs with Dancingontheedge, a wide-margin winner over the course in July, heading the weights. She has run two sound races since, finishing fourth to Via Dante last time, and makes her chase debut here, reverting to the shorter distance of her hurdles win.

Bensini cut out the running when finishing third to Beat Box at the last meeting and point-to-point winner Coconut Twist won a novice chase over the course in May.

Course winner Final Entry and Uttoxeter winner Torrent set the standard in the Newton Abbot Juvenile Hurdle, but have to give weight to the rest of the field. Unleash Hell finished 8 lengths behind Torrent last time and is better off at the weights today and Masonbrook Meadow looks to be progressing over hurdles. Window Of Time, who failed to win in three flat starts in Ireland for Joseph O’Brien and is now with Alex Hales, is an interesting newcomer.

Saddlers Quest, twice a course winner a year ago, returns after wind surgery in the Chris Wills Memorial Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. She has been done no favours by the handicapper, being still rated 4lbs above her last winning mark, but hinted that she may be winning again soon when a close fourth to the progressive King’s Castle here in June.

Course regular Karannelle has to be brought with a late run and Call Blue, still a maiden after 11 races, can’t be ruled out.

Course winner Alan De Banks is the clear form pick of the three runners in the closing newtonabbotracing.com Open National Hunt Flat Race. The Expensive One pulled too hard on his debut at Newbury in January, and, if he has settled down after that experience, could give Alan De Banks something to think about.