Sep 20, 2024

Race Report - Friday 20 September 2024

On an afternoon that saw five previous course winners add to their tally, Wonderful Eagle, who had made a winning return from wind surgery on the flat at Goodwood last month, landed Newton Abbot’s Colin Willcocks Memorial Handicap Hurdle, the richest race of Friday’s seven-race card.

Held up by Micheal Nolan, Wonderful Eagle made steady progress turning for home, but his momentum was checked by a mistake at the penultimate flight. He was soon back on an even keel, however, and powered past top-weight Onemorefortheroad to win with a bit in hand.

Ben Sutton set out to make all the running on odds-on favourite Tribal Glory, runner-up on his hurdles debut over the course last month, in the opening Tripemasters Maiden Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. Authoceltic came to join him at the third-last flight but, having seen off that challenge, he then had Shakeyatailfeather to contend with coming to the final jump.

Dan Skelton’s runner had the benefit of experience, having run five times over hurdles and in better class races, and Shakeyatailfeather came clear on the run-in to score by 1¼ lengths and open her account at the eighth attempt.

Asian Star was sent off the 4/5 favourite to give Dan and Harry Skelton a quick double in the following Devondale Electrical Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, but she could only finish third as Kitty Foyle and Leloopa fought out the finish. It was Leloopa and Versace Twentyone, whose jumping early on was somewhat erratic, who cut out the running but, by the penultimate flight, Leloopa had a clear lead under Jonathan Burke. She didn’t jump the last as cleanly as Kitty Foyle who asserted on the run-in to make a winning debut over hurdles and give Dorset trainer Daisy Hitchins her fourth winner of the season.

A course winner over hurdles, Lallygag had showed no form in his two chase outings last year, but punters clearly expected him to improve, sending him off the 7/4 favourite for the Class 3 Newton Abbot Novices’ Chase. Second-favourite was the hat-trick seeking Glynn who set out to make the running as usual and, after putting in an immaculate round of jumping, reached for the final fence, allowing Lallygag to close the gap. Sam Twiston-Davies is a difficult jockey to pass in a finish, however, and in Glynn he had a willing partner, proving the stronger on the run to the line to beat Lallygag by ¾ length.

With 22 of the 30 entries for the Devondale Electrical Handicap Hurdle declared to run, the race was divided with both divisions looking open affairs. Electric Eddy was a clear favourite to take the first division, but it was Daany, who had been raised 5lbs for his win here last month, who came out on top again, beating Therapist by a neck. It was the same winning margin in the second division as Karannelle beat Oddosh to notch up another course win.

Hold Your Fort, three times a course winner this season, extended his sequence in the closing Ashley Maunder Never Better… Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles, beating bottom-weight Honey I’m Good and Great d’Ange.