Mar 24, 2022

Racing Preview: Friday 25 March 2022

Racing returns to Newton Abbot on Friday 25 March with a six-race card, the first of 18 meetings throughout the summer culminating with the Season Finale on Saturday 15 October.

This season sees a marked change out on the track as, following research by Exeter University, the hurdles will change from being topped with orange to white as part of a welfare-driven project to develop new ways to help make hurdle and fence design safer. The transformation, which started at Stratford-on-Avon on the 14th, will be gradually phased in over ten months, with Newton Abbot becoming the third course to make the change.

How’s The Cricket, having his first run for trainer Harry Fry, carries top weight in the 69 Club Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle which gets the new season underway at 1.55pm. Returning after a 470-day absence, he is just 2lbs higher than for his last win at Taunton and will be ridden by the experienced Bryan Carver.

He may have his work cut out, however, to give 19lbs to Imperial Joe, trained near Bude by Tim Dennis, who got his head in front at the sixth attempt at Exeter and may still have improvement to come.

Next up is the most valuable race of the afternoon, the £13,600 Happy Birthday Tosia And Lily Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles in which Paul Nicholls, last year’s leading trainer at the track, runs Take Your Time. A winner at Ffos Las and Chepstow, Take Your Time was chasing a hat-trick back at Chepstow over Christmas, but was pulled up by Harry Cobden and needs to bounce back to form here.

Dan Skelton runs top-weight West To The Bridge who is chasing a four-timer and, with Tristan Durrell reducing his burden by 7lbs, looks the one to be on.

Nine have been declared for the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Mares’ Maiden Hurdle with Irish point-to-point winner Bolintlea looking for her first win under Rules. Runner-up on her second start over hurdles at Hereford, she faces dangers in jumps debutant Lone Star, who ran with promise behind Lutinebella in a bumper at Warwick, and the lightly-raced Whisky Express.

Nicholls has chosen Sending Love from his two entries in the fourth, the Racing Partnership Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs, and this looks a good chance for him to score a first win over fences, having won twice over hurdles and a point-to-point.

Romanor has been placed in all seven of his races since winning at Uttoxeter in July 2021 and will try to change his luck in the William Hill Betting TV Handicap Chase. Commis D’Office represents the in-form Venetia Williams stable and, despite having to give weight to all but one of his rivals, could win this on his second start since having wind surgery.

Houi Cherie, beaten less than a length by Roc Of Dundee at Ascot, looks the best of the three with racecourse experience in the closing Newton Abbot Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race. Amongst the newcomers is Hymac, beaten a short head by Gaelic Park in an Irish point-to-point and, with the winner having landed a similar race to this at Warwick on his British debut, could come out on top.

Admission to the Paddock Enclosure is £20 if booked in advance, or £22 at the gate on the day. The Course Enclosure is £12 and under-18s are admitted free to both enclosures when accompanied by an adult.