Apr 02, 2026

Race preview: Saturday 4th April 2026 (Updated)

David Hucker
Racing correspondent

Easter Saturday sees the first of 18 jump meetings at Newton Abbot over the summer and autumn as the course celebrates 160 years of racing. Amongst the fixtures will be four Family Days, starting on Tuesday 14 April, and four evening meetings, including the popular Ladies Day on Tuesday 23 June.

Highlight of the six-race card is the £20,000 Happy 45th Birthday Andy Hurtley Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs. Two that catch the eye are five-time chase winner Bumpy Evans, who is returning after a winter break, and hat-trick seeking Calymistic, who has won three of his six races. Kap Quest was an easy winner at Exeter on his second start over fences and, although he is 9lb higher in the weights now, could still be improving.

Whilst he may not top his best season for winners of 205 in 2018/19, Dan Skelton has already set a record prize money total this year of more than £4m and may have enough in hand to wrest the trainers championship from Willie Mullins. Skelton has chosen Dutch Corner, runner-up at Exeter last time, from his two entries in the opening South West Rail Solutions Ltd. “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle and he looks the one to beat. Irish point-to-point winner Hardly Surprising, one of two runners owned by J P McManus, is improving with each run and could give Dutch Corner a run for his money.

Although he has to carry top weight, the consistent Begin The Luck, twice a winner this season, should run well in the Les Drew Hello Matey I’M 80 Handicap Chase. Hat-trick seeking Palawau Du Mazet has been raised 3lbs for his win at Leicester in a race where only two of the five runners finished.

None of the runners in the South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Mares’ Handicap Hurdle can be said to be in a rich vein of form, but one of the seven has to win and course winner Parikarma, who will be ridden by her owner Imogen Mathias, could be the one to come out on top.

Call Me Legend, the choice from two entries for trainers Philip Hobbs & Johnson White, could add to his two wins this season in the longest race of the afternoon, the South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles, at the expense of the Skelton-trained Top Guy.

The biggest field of the afternoon lines up in the closing Newton Abbot On Course Bookmakers Fillies’ “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race and, with only four of the fourteen runners having seen a racecourse before, the betting may be the best guide to the winner. Of those with form, Enya has shown enough in her two runs to suggest she can win a race and jockey Isabelle Ryder takes a useful 5lbs off her weight.

Gates open at noon and there will be a free Cadbury’s Creme Egg for the first 250 people through the turnstiles. There is a complimentary bus service from Newton Abbot railway station and, to complete the day, local group The Shrine will be performing in the Paddock Suite after racing.