Mar 28, 2022

Racing Review - Friday 25 March 2022

Trainer Harry Fry was the man in form at Newton Abbot on Friday as racing returned to the south Devon course for the summer, landing a treble on an afternoon that also saw doubles for jockeys Sean Bowen and David Noonan.

Returning after a 470-day absence, How’s The Cricket, having his first run for Fry, put up the weight-carrying performance of the afternoon when defying 12-1 in The 69 Club Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle which got the new season underway.

Just 2lbs higher than for his last win at Taunton, he was held up early on as favourite Imperial Joe and Niall Houlihan made the running. Imperial Joe was a spent force by the home turn where he was passed by Adherence, who set up a good lead, but Bryan Carver was biding his time on How’s The Cricket, coming to challenge at the final flight and win with a bit in hand.

The feature race on the card was the £13,600 Happy Birthday Tosia And Lily Handicap Hurdle and it went to West To The Bridge who defied top weight in the hands of amateur jockey Tristan Durrell to complete a four-timer.

Making the running over an extended three and a quarter mile trip, West To The Bridge led his two rivals Take Your Time and Forecast until the third-last flight where all three jumped in line. He went on again turning for home and, with Take Your Time being pulled up for the second race in a row by Harry Cobden before the penultimate jump, West To The Bridge strode 10 lengths clear of Forecast.

Irish point-to-point winner Bolintlea, looking for her first win under Rules, was a hot 11-10 favourite to land the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Mares’ Maiden Hurdle. Runner-up on her second start over hurdles at Hereford, she had to settle for second place again as the lightly-raced Whisky Express completed a double for Fry, coming home 3 ¼ lengths to the good under Sean Bowen.

Bolintlea had led the field out of the back straight, but Whisky Express came to join her at the penultimate flight and had asserted her superiority by the final jump where Bolintlea made a mistake when already beaten.

Out of luck with Take Your Time earlier on the card, champion trainer Paul Nicholls was looking to Sending Love to get him off the mark in the Racing Partnership Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs. There was to be another disappointment for the stable, however, as Sending Love was being pushed along by Cobden with a circuit to go and was pulled up early in the back straight.

This left favourite Le Cameleon and David Noonan with just Magic Dancer to beat and they proved too strong in the home straight to give South Molton trainer Nick Williams his 10th winner of the season.

Noonan was also on board outsider Vinnie The Hoddie, who sprang the surprise of the afternoon when taking the following William Hill Betting TV Handicap Chase at odds of 16-1 for Moretonhampstead trainer Gail Haywood to bring up her first winner of the season from 12 runners. Jumping into the lead at the 9th fence, Vinnie The Hoddie put in another good leap at the last to open up a three-length gap over Le Ligerien, recording his first win for 18 months and his first in four starts for the stable.

Hymac, beaten a short head by Gaelic Park in an Irish point-to-point, led into the home straight to make a winning British debut under Bowen in the closing Newton Abbot Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race to bring up the Fry treble.

Racing returns to Newton Abbot Racecourse on Easter Saturday 16 April. Tickets are on sale now.