Apr 22, 2025

Race report: Saturday 19 April 2025

David Hucker
Racing correspondent

Trainer Evan Williams and jockey Adam Wedge were the combination to follow at Newton Abbot on Saturday when a big holiday crowd saw them land a chase double with Pooroldmackley and Puddlesinthepark.

The going had changed to heavy following Friday’s rain, resulting in 11 non-runners across the card,, but that didn’t stop Pooroldmackley in the Trojan Motor Company And Instant Justice Handicap Chase, collaring favourite Begin The Luck at the penultimate fence to register his first win in eight races under Rules.

The aptly named Puddlesinthepark landed the afternoon’s longest race, the Happy Easter Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles, taking the measure of course winner Janeslittlevoice between the final two fences to win comfortably, with another course winner Firefly Lane well beaten in third.

Walk On High, placed four times over hurdles, finally broke his duck in the opening Welcome To Easter Raceday “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle over an extended two and a quarter miles. Taking over from leader Loki’s Mischief on the turn for home, the 2/5 favourite soon put daylight between himself and the rest, beating Southfield Finale, who ran with promise for the future, by 3½ lengths.

Fontwell Park winner Military Tycoon just failed to follow up in the Tribute Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle, going down by a neck to El Bandido Pancho. The result could have been different had Broomfield Gale not run out at the second last flight, but the first two were comfortably clear of the only other two finishers.

John Betjeman, who was wearing a visor for the first time, came into the Thatchers Handicap Hurdle not having won for over two years, but that didn’t put punters off and, sent off the 7/4 favourite, he duly obliged in the hands of Joe Anderson. Always in the front rank, he looked to have blown his chance with a mistake at the last flight, but got back up to beat Clear Storm by half a length.

Dan Skelton, who started the day leading Willie Mullins by £37,500 in the race to be champion trainer, ran two in the feature Class 3 Plymouth Motor Company Handicap Chase, but had to settle for second place, worth £4,860, as his top-weight Heltenham couldn’t match Scarface in the closing stages.

Given a positive ride by Tristan Durrell, Heltenham led turning for home, but Freddie Gingell was steadily making ground on Scarface and they jumped the last two fences together. It was Scarface who asserted in the final 100yds to win with favourite Royal Jewel 14 lengths back in third.

Coconut Twist is having a good season and was chasing a hat-trick in the closing St. Austell Brewery Handicap Hurdle. He looked the likely winner until a tired jump at the final flight almost unseated his jockey, handing the initiative to the lightly-raced Moonset, a winner at Market Rasen last time, who came out on top.