Aug 31, 2022

Racing Review - Tuesday 30 August

Ragamuffin, trained by Neil Mulholland and ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, made all the running in the feature Brendon Soper Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot’s final evening meeting of the year, causing a major upset in comfortably beating red-hot favourite Byzantine Empire.

Byzantine Empire, winner of both his previous chase starts at Southwell and Perth, was sent off at 2/5 to beat his two rivals, but found the concession of 17lbs to Ragamuffin, who had been brushed aside by Hell Red in a match at Fontwell Park earlier this month, beyond him, going down by 12 lengths.

With likely favourite Cadeau D’Or a non-runner, it was Star Of Valour, who had finished runner-up in his last two flat starts and was making his hurdling debut for trainer Joe Tizzard, who headed the market at 15/8 in the opening Newtonabbotrace On Twitter Maiden Hurdle over two and a quarter miles. There was also good support for Chadlington Lad, who had a run on the flat at Kempton Park earlier this month, and Martin Keighley’s Herecomeshogan, backed from 6/1 to 5/2.

Herecomeshogan, who had taken a heavy fall at the penultimate flight at Market Rasen last time, set out to make the running again, tracked by the hard-pulling Sydney Blues and Chadlington Lad. It was Chadlington Lad who got his nose in front jumping the second-last flight, but Herecomeshogan fought back on the run-in to score by three-quarters of a length, with Star Of Valour, who had every chance, fading in the closing stages and looking like a drop back to two miles would suit him next time.

David Pipe ran two of his three entries in the Britbet Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs with stable jockey Tom Scudamore on top-weight El Paso Wood, runner-up to Coal Stock over course and distance last time, and Philip Armson on Dindin. It was On Springs, winner of three of his four races this season, who was sent off the 5/6 favourite and he duly obliged, reeling in the front-running El Paso Wood on the run to the last fence to bring up another winner for in-form trainer Ben Pauling.

In the Class 3 Congratulations Woolfy On Your 70th Birthday Handicap Hurdle, there was little to choose in the betting between top-weight Bucko’s Boy, a wide-margin winner from Mascat over the course in July, and another course winner Fire Lake, who was receiving 9lbs.

It was Fire Lake who just shaded favouritism at 6/4, but her chance went at the third flight when she unseated Bradley Harris and, in a close finish, Elham Valley and Jack Hogan just touched off Manor Park by a head, with Bucko’s Boy, who had tried to make all the running, half a length away in third.

Longest race of the evening was the Newton Abbot Racecourse On Facebook Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles in which Jen’s Boy carried top weight of 12-0, just 1lb more than Get The Appeal, both horses carrying the colours of Middleham Park Racing.

Neither was strongly fancied in the betting, however, which was headed by Presenting Yeats at 9/4, on whom Paddy Brennan was looking for his 30th winner of the season. Punters looked to have got it spot on as Presenting Yeats out-gunned Jen’s Boy in a ding-dong battle up the run-in to win by a head, but he was subsequently disqualified for causing interference and the race awarded to 15/2 shot Jen’s Boy.

Successful earlier with Elham Valley, the season’s leading trainer Fergal O’Brien completed a double when 6/4 favourite Cheltenham De Vaige headed veteran Mr Mafia on the run-in to take the Talk Tidy Marketing Handicap Chase before Stratford winner Colonel Lesley, trained at South Molton by Claire Harris, followed up to beat Karannelle and Ranco in the closing Visit attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle.

Racing returns to Newton Abbot with an afternoon of racing on Monday 5 September. Tickets are on sale now.