May 01, 2026

Race preview: Wednesday 6th May 2026 - UPDATED

David Hucker
Racing correspondent

After a short break, racing returns to Newton Abbot on Wednesday with the opening race, the Class 2 Kauto The King Handicap Chase due off at 1.45pm, part of ITV’s afternoon coverage.

This £25,000 event run over two miles and five furlongs was won last year by Light N Strike, then trained by Emma Lavelle, but now with Mickey Bowen. Champion trainer Dan Skelton finished last season with 194 winners and over £5m in prize money and, as well as retaining his title, his aim for the new campaign is to beat Martin Pipe’s record total of 243 achieved in 2018/19. After failing to score with two runners at Warwick on Friday evening, he got off the mark with a treble at Uttoxeter on Saturday and runs top-weight Etalon from his two entries.

Another trainer with two entries was Paul Nicholls and he has chosen four-time course winner Centara, not seen out since being pulled up at Cheltenham in October, who will be ridden by Freddie Gingell. Nicholls starts the new season without the services of Harry Cobden who has been appointed as first jockey to leading owner JP McManus and Cobden will be on Hercule Du Seuil, formerly trained by Willie Mullins and having his fourth start for Neil Mulholland.

The race remembers Kauto The King, who won five of his ten chases around the course. Initially trained by Colin Tizzard, he is now with his son Joe who runs Western General, a course winner over hurdles and fences.

Next up is the Racing To School Reaches 25 Years Maiden Hurdle over the same trip in which Nicky Henderson has selected Exeter runner-up Bold Step, who also had entries at Ffos Las and Kelso. He could be a Royal winner with Skelton’s lightly-raced Lirone Du Seuil expected to step up on his form to date.

The trip is three and a quarter miles for the No Drama This End Club Novices’ Handicap Chase and Skelton’s Storminhome, still to win after ten attempts over fences, might come out on top at the expense of Rickety Bridge, whom Nicholls runs in this race rather than over hurdles in the last.

Second most valuable race of the afternoon is the Welcoming Newton Abbot Business Club Members Handicap Chase over two miles and there is not much between the runners on official ratings. Top-weight Lightning Flash has been well beaten since winning at Chepstow in October, but must have a good chance in this small field and could win at the expense of Northern Air, runner-up to Reel Orange over hurdles here last month.

Huntingdon winner Best Night, owned by the David Pipe Racing Club, was well beaten at Taunton last month, but is dropping back in trip in the Par Inn Celebrating 50 Next Year Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. She will be ridden by Harry Cobden and could have the Tizzard-trained Reel Orange, who broke her duck over the course last month, to beat

Top-weight Striking A Pose seeks to follow up his win here last month in the closing Sky Sports Racing Handicap Hurdle, but may not beat the consistent Juggernaut, owned by the Anthony Honeyball Racing Club, who runs in this race in preference to an earlier chase.