Sep 23, 2023
Racing Review - Fri 22 September
With the meeting having survived an early morning inspection, bright sunshine greeted racegoers at Newton Abbot on Friday afternoon when all eyes were on Galway winner Alvaniy, a first runner at the course for Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins.
Alvaniy was all the rage for the Devondale Electrical Novices’ Hurdle, being sent off the 1/3 favourite, with Wonderful Eagle, who had made a winning debut over jumps at the course last month, next best. The writing was on the wall for favourite backers, however, as, when the pace quickened going to the second-last flight, Alvaniy found nothing and Wonderful Eagle, who had winning form on soft ground in Germany, went clear to win comfortably.
Outlaw Peter, a winner over hurdles on soft ground at Kempton Park in March, was a long odds-on favourite to beat his sole rival Walk In Clover in the opening newtonabbotracing.com Novices’ Chase. Making his chasing debut, Outlaw Peter didn’t jump as well as the experienced Walk In Clover in the early part of the race, but warmed to his task and, having made all the running, held on by ¾ length on the run-in to win for his group of owners including Sir Alex Ferguson and Dame Judi Dench.
Ben Lilly, third in the race last year, and dual course chase winner Honey I’m Good dominated the betting in the day’s most valuable race, the Colin Willcocks Memorial Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles, returned the 5/2 joint favourites.
Astroman and Honey I’m Good set a steady pace until the turn for home where Isabel Williams sent Honey I’m Good into a clear lead. Looming up behind, however, was Ben Lilly and, despite a stumble at the penultimate flight, he proved too strong in the hands of Gearoid Harney to win for the David Pipe Racing Club.
The Devondale Electrical Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle looked a match between Manimole, who made all the running to win by a wide margin at Southwell, and Presenting Nelly who was looking to follow up her Worcester win of 10 days ago. There was a ding-dong battle between the two up the home straight and, at the end, it was Presenting Nelly who came out on top, beating the pace-setting Manimole by a neck.
Janeslittlevoice, who went down narrowly to Ya Know Yaseff at the last meeting, was preferred in the betting for the Racing Partnership Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles. She received a lot of weight from Frankie Faulkner, a course winner over hurdles in July, and it proved decisive at the end as Janeslittlevoice and Harriet Tucker held on by a short head in another thrilling finish.
Bernard Llewellyn saddled two of the five runners in the closing Rob Gilbert 70th Birthday Bash Handicap Hurdle, but they were to finish second and third as Imperial Measure gained his first success in the hands of Adam Wedge.
Racing returns to Newton Abbot on Monday 2 October – book Paddock tickets online in advance to save £2pp. Tickets will also be available on the gate on the day.
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