David Hucker
Racing correspondent
Leading trainer Dan Skelton came into Newton Abbot’s final meeting of 2024 on the back of a 25% strike rate over the last two weeks and he was on the mark again with a double courtesy of Catch Him Derry and Major Fortune to make it 76 wins for the season so far.
Skelton had entered both horses in the feature Celebrating David Freeman’s 35 years Service Handicap Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs, but chose Catch Him Derry, a winner at Southwell and Ayr last season and looking like a horse on the up. He continued that progression, jumping past Flight Deck at the final flight and putting daylight between himself and the others on the run-in.
Vocito was preferred in the betting to Major Fortune in the aattheraces.com Handicap Hurdle, but Skelton’s decision to run him over this shorter distance proved a wise one as, despite racing from a handicap mark 39lbs higher than when starting his five-race winning run last season, he continued on an upward curve, leading at the second-last flight to see off Wewillgowithplanb and Vocito with some ease.
There was little to choose between the front three in the betting in the opening Racing Partnership Novices’ Hurdle with Cheltenham chase winner Hymac just edging favouritism ahead of One Big Bang and Kruger Park. One Big Bang had won both starts since joining trainer James Owen with his wins coming on soft and heavy ground, but he had to give weight to all his rivals and that proved crucial in the end as he couldn’t peg back Hymac from the final hurdle.
Hymac, who had won over further at Cheltenham, had led from the start and, although Kruger Park had kept him company early on, he pulled too hard and made mistakes, finishing a remote third.
The was another winning favourite in the following newtonabbotracing.com Handicap Chase when Western General, having his first run since wind surgery, took control of the race at the penultimate obstacle from chasing debutant Royal Jewel, who had made all the running to that point, to get off the mark over fences at the fifth attempt.
Skelton’s Doyouknowwhatimean was seeking a hat-trick in the Happy Retirement Pat And Vivienne Masterson Handicap Chase, but he drifted in the betting market as bottom-weight Sherborne, who came into the race in good form, having finished runner-up at Exeter three weeks ago, was sent off favourite.
Both had to settle for places, however, as, in a close finish, the race went to Livin On Luco, a first winner of the season for Callum Pritchard, who took advantage of a slow jump at the last fence by Sherborne to lead on the run-in and win by ¾ length.
The biggest field of the day lined up for the closing 2024 Season Finale Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race and it was wide-margin Irish point-to-point winner Supreme Malinas who headed the betting. She didn’t quite pull it off, however, as Idaho Sun, a 60,000 euros purchase, came out on top by a short head to complete a first and last race double for trainer Harry Fry and jockey Bryan Carver.