Oct 17, 2022

Racing Review - Saturday 15 October 2022

Pic D’Orhy, a winner of three of his ten chases, put that experience to good use when giving weight and a beating to his three rivals to land the £22,500 Aubrey Loze Memorial Intermediate Chase (Class 2), highlight of Newton Abbot’s sell-out final meeting of 2022 on Saturday.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls had taken last year’s running of the race with the classy Bravemansgame and, returning after wind surgery, Pic D’Orhy made every yard of the running with Harry Cobden to hold off the challenge of chasing newcomer Kissesforkatie, the two having drawn clear. Rated 142 over hurdles, Kissesforkatie never put a foot wrong and, on this form, looks to have a future over the bigger obstacles.

Gin Coco, who carried 12-0 into second place in a 25-runner handicap at the Punchestown Festival in April, was the red-hot 1/3 favourite to land the opening British Stallion Studs EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and one furlong for trainer Harry Fry and jockey Jonathan Burke. Second-favourite Ivaldi, a winner over hurdles in France and making his British debut for Paul Nicholls, drifted in the market from 3/1 to 5/1, but there was some support for Pepe Le Moko to build on his debut fourth at Chepstow in February.

Favourite backers never really had a moment’s worry as, despite being hampered by the riderless American Sniper in the closing stages, Gin Coco effortlessly put 4½ lengths between himself and debutant Call The Dawn, with Pepe Le Moko back in third and the hard-pulling Ivaldi fading into fourth.

There was tight betting in the SMC Construction Ltd Jolly Boys Outing Novices’ Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles with Bells Of Peterboro, four times a winner over hurdles and looking for his first win over fences at the second attempt, just shading favouritism from Potters Venture, who was having his first run for trainer Keiran Burke.

It was Potters Venture who came out on top, making all the running in the hands of Harry Kimber to see off the persistent challenge of Bells Of Peterboro up the home straight.

Umbrigado had finished nine lengths behind Mr Yeats over course and distance last time out but, on 6lbs better terms, gained his revenge in the second Class 2 event of the afternoon, the £18,500 Neil Terry’s Finally Getting Married Handicap Hurdle over three miles and two and a half furlongs. Valentino had come down when going well at the penultimate flight that day and, putting in a clear round this time, he was to give Umbrigado most to do, but a slightly better jump by the winner at the last flight sealed the deal.

Just four lined up for the Happy 70th Birthday Ian Weaver Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle, one of a new programme of hurdle races being introduced this autumn by the British Horseracing Authority. None of the runners had seen a racecourse before, but the Nicholls-trained Him Malaya, owned like Pic D’Orhy by Mrs Johnny de la Hey, went off the 1/2 favourite to make a winning debut.

He led into the straight, but a clumsy jump at the last put paid to his chances and it was second-favourite Sailing Grace who finished the stronger, beating Jupiter Allen by half a length, with Him Malaya only third.

By contrast, fourteen had been declared for the 50 Years And Counting Handicap Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles and it went to 18/1 shot Wavering Down, ridden by Rex Dingle for Jeremy Scott, who led into the home straight and readily held off the challenge of Wincanton scorer Sabrina on the run to the line.

Boothill completed a double on the afternoon for the Fry/Burke combination when narrowly denying Datsalrightgino in the newtonabbotraces.com Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, before Warwick winner Madaa defied a penalty to follow up in the closing William Hill Betting TV Open National Hunt Flat Race to bring the curtain down on the season.

Racing returns to Newton Abbot Racecourse on Easter Saturday 8 April 2023.