Sep 04, 2022

Racing Preview - Monday 5 September 2022

Monday sees the first of three meetings in September at Newton Abbot leading up to the 2022 season finale on Saturday 15 October and Saltash trainer Jackie Du Plessis could land the feature £18,500 Par Inn For Sport And Fun Handicap Hurdle with dual course winner Valentino.

Run over an extended three and a quarter miles, this Class 2 contest has attracted a competitive field. David Pipe runs top-weight Umbrigado, last seen when pulling up over fences at Aintree last December, from his two entries and Joe Tizzard has selected Sizing Cusimano, a wide-margin winner from Flying Verse over fences here in May, from his two possibles.

The vote goes, however, to the lightly-raced Valentino, raised 4lbs for his neck win over Skatman in May, who overcame a 166-day absence to score that day and can do so again after another lengthy period off.

It all gets underway at 1.50pm with the attheraces.com Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles which could go to Flying Verse, the mount of Lily Pinchin. Although consistent, Flying Verse hasn’t won for nearly a year, but he ran from a rating of 113 that day at Perth and now races from a mark of 101. He finished runner-up to Cardboard Gangster at Stratford two runs ago and that form could be good enough here, with On Time, a 12 length winner over course and distance in July, rated the danger.

Gaulois bids for a course hat-trick in the Class 3 Par Inn Racing Club “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle over two and a quarter miles. He beat Heronord, who had multiple entries at last week’s meeting, by a length, but meets him again today on worse terms, so the positions could well be reversed.

Eight year-old Blazer’s Mill has had just seven starts under Rules, the latest being last month when beaten 24 lengths by Sophia’s Rock, and he looks to go one better in the Newton Abbot Racecourse On Facebook Selling Hurdle. He did win at Perth two years ago, when beating Percy’s Word, but Dan Skelton’s charge has won three times since and is now rated at 129, giving him a clear advantage at the weights for this race.

The admirable Little Jessture has won three times over the course this season and tries to add to her tally in the Newtonabbotrace On Twitter Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. She has gone up 12lbs in the weights since the first of those wins back in June and looks to have Belle Na Bann, who got the better of Fire Lake by a length at Fontwell Park, to beat.

Huelgoat, beaten 20 lengths by odds-on favourite San Giovanni over hurdles here in July, makes his chasing debut in the Millie And Rescued Dog Owners Novices’ Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs. Coal Stock, who got off the mark over fences here last month, finished third to El Paso Wood at Stratford on Saturday and would be running twice in 48 hours if asked to turn out again.

Getaman found one too good in the shape of The Garrison at Stratford last time and, despite carrying more than his allotted weight, still looks the one to be on. “We’re a few pounds out of the handicap, but Lilly Pinchin’s claim negates some of that” said trainer David Jeffreys. “He’s been brilliant for my Racing Club this summer, winning and being placed three times and brought down at Huntingdon when not his fault, and I’m hoping that the step up in trip will bring out even further improvement.”

Three of the six runners in the closing Racing Partnership TRP Open National Hunt Flat Race are making their racecourse debut. Wot You Wearing is the most experienced of those with form, having run three times, including when fourth to The Galahad Kid here in July. The winner franked the form with another success at Stratford last month and trainer Robert Stephens and jockey Sean Houlihan combined to win with Turpin Gold on Saturday.

However, Bobby Socks, the only mount of the afternoon for Aidan Coleman, looks the one to beat for trainer Olly Murphy.

Tickets for Monday’s fixture at Newton Abbot Racecourse are on sale now and will also be available on the gate on Monday. Book Newton Abbot Tickets.