Sep 08, 2025

Race preview: Tuesday 9th September 2025

David Hucker
Racing correspondent

The summer may be over, but there is still plenty of racing action to come at Newton Abbot and Tuesday sees a seven-race card with the highlight being the £15,000 Jim Swales Memorial Handicap Hurdle over two miles and a furlong.

The progressive Hope Rising won for the third time this season when beating Sergeant Fury over the course last month. She has to overcome a 6lb rise in the weights for that win, but could be up to the task. Three times a winner in maiden and novice company last season, including a valuable handicap at Kelso in March, Leloopa was well beaten on her seasonal debut behind Vocito at Uttoxeter in July, but could give Hope Rising most to do.

Racing gets underway at 1.58pm with the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Awareness Juvenile Hurdle which includes three previous winners in the line-up. Lord and Manyana Blue have met each other before when finishing behind the unbeaten Dignam over the course in July. Both have got off the mark since, with Lord winning at Fontwell Park and Manyana Blue making all the running to beat Never Told Me over the course last month. .

The other previous winner is Mancero, successful in a claiming hurdle on soft ground at Fontainebleau in April, but well-beaten by One Horse Town at Hexham in June on his British debut. Of the others, the one to keep an eye on is debutant Yellow Card, a dual winner on the flat for trainer Ollie Sangster and now with Mickey Bowen.

Next up is the Darnells Dash Novices’ Hurdle in which Fergal O’Brien saddles dual winner Jack Hyde, not seen out since finishing fourth to She’s A Saint in a handicap at Aintree in April. He sets the standard here and can give weight to all his rivals. Dan Skelton runs two with Tristan Durrell on Shareyourbiscuits, well beaten when last seen at Taunton in March, and Charlie Todd on Thickthorn Tom, who has made no show in his three runs so far.

Trainer Evan Williams had three entries in the Happy Birthday Geoff Hobbs Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs and runs Imperial Measure who, whilst clearly in with a chance in this small field, may find course winner La Quarite and Just A Memory, who made a bold effort to make all the running last time, too good.

Longest race of the afternoon is the #axetheracingtax Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles and this could go to hat-tick seeking Faded Fantasy, raised 10lbs for his seven-length win over Testflight at the last meeting. After a hat-trick of wins over fences, including over the course in April, Puddlesinthepark reverts to hurdles, but it’s top-weight Hostile Hotelier who could be the danger.

Dorset trainer Anthony Honeyball entered two in the Murray Group Handicap Chase and has settled on Juggernaut, runner-up to Turpin Gold over hurdles at the last meeting. Dual winner Barranco makes the long journey from Cheshire, but needs to overcome a poor run at Bangor-on-Dee last time.

Irish point-to-point winner Axel Bleue made a winning debut under Rules at Market Rasen before finishing second under a penalty at Worcester. He is the one to beat in the closing newtonabbotracing.com Open National Hunt Flat Race, but may find conceding 17lbs to Victors Spirit, who went down by just a neck to hot favourite Way Maker on his debut at Stratford, a tough task.