SIMON NOTT: Newton Abbot Betting Report Monday

Today should have been the sort of day that Newton Abbot would have been heaving. That is in normal times when the crowd wasn’t still heavily restricted due to Covid. Traditionally the heavy showers would have kept the holidaymakers off the beach and seeking alternative entertainment, where better than a day at the races.

1:15 – Visit attheraces.com Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 2½f

Still, there was a crowd that were enjoying themselves and dashing out to the bookies between downpours. Not many of them were interested in the first winner of the day though. Paul Henderson’s Small Bad Bob was sent off favourite but at 1/5 so wasn’t really the sort of price for the recreational punters in evidence here. Apart from Jo Williams betting as Ivor Perry who laid £200 at 1/4 the other bookies hardly saw a bet for the winner. Small Bad Bob won easily under David Noonan who said he wanted to keep it as straightforward as possible in ground that he described as quite soft. Getting softer by the raindrop too.

Glenn in the Star Sports office told me that they had laid bets of £2000 – £6000, £1500 – £5000 and £220 – £1100. That was easy readies for the money buyers in this instance, the winning distance was a cosy 6½ lengths from 50/1 chance Hazy Dream.

1:45 – Tigers Selling Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 2½f

Only four went to post for the seller. Fergal O’Brien’s Coole Well was sent off the even money favourite and won by 69 lengths under Max Kendrick. His task was made easier when 5/4 market rival Theo was pulled up out in the country. Sellers have become something of a rarity in recent times, back when I started going racing there was pretty much always one on the card. The bidding action after a race was often quite a spectacle and added colour to the day. Horses are sometimes taken home again without a bid if there’s no interest. That wasn’t the case today, connections had to go to 8000 Guineas to buy in their winner, let’s see more sellers. The jolly attracted bets as well as bids and was no good for the bookies. Star Sports reported having laid bets of £1250 – £1000 and an even monkey.

Down in the betting ring, young Archie Metcalfe became the fifth generation of his family to take on the punters under the name Jack Bevan. Standing on the stool taking the bets with his dad Paul on the computer Archie told me that it wasn’t a new permanent career move but that he was helping his dad out as normal right hand man Ian had gone AWOL, sorry, was taking his day off.

2:20 – William Hill Betting TV Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m 5½f

Harry Fry’s Black Mischief won this as easily but not quite as far as Coole Well had in the previous race. The gelding quickened away nicely under Lorcan Murtagh to win by 23 lengths. He said the winner has had his problems and that the trainer had done a good job with him. He added that the ground wasn’t riding as soft as it might look on the TV. There wasn’t a lot of betting action in the ring and very little of interest in the Star Sports office. The winner returned 11/2 with 9/4 jolly Kilmington Rose back in second.

2:55 – Follow AtTheRaces On Twitter Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus) 2m 1f

After the wide-margin wins of the first half the card racegoers were treated to a ding-dong of a finish in the fourth. Sarah-Jayne Davies’ 12/1 chance Invincible Wish prevailed in a photo under William Kennedy from 15/8 favourite Phoenix Dawn. As I left the press area it appeared connections of the runner-up thought they’d won congratulating the rider Cillin Leonard on his ‘win’. Naturally, they appeared disappointed when the judge Guy Lewis announced otherwise, their hopes were raised again shortly afterwards when a Steward’s Enquiry was announced involving the winner and runner-up. The jockey of the first past the post William Kennedy told Luke Harvey on At The Races that he wouldn’t say his mount enjoyed the ground but handled it, he added that they were going to just drop in but they went no pace. Asked about the enquiry he was unconcerned as the coming together happened right on the line. The head on appeared to confirm that. Some surprise then that the places were reversed, about five minutes after I’d look Jack Bevan who would have seen a four-figure turnaround, that the placings were unlikely to be altered. Sometimes it’s just better to keep your opinions to yourself.

3:30 – Watch Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Handicap Chase (Class 4) (5YO plus) 2m ½f

There was another battling finish in the race before the penultimate. Jonathan Burke on Tom George’s Darling du Large got up in the last strides to deprive Bryony Frost on Dogon. The winner was returned 10/3 having been nibbled in the market. Speaking after the race, the winning pilot said that it had been a long time since his mount’s last win and that the trainer and owner had been patient with her. He added that they had been a little worried about the ground which is why he went wide to get the best of it and that when it mattered, she stuck her head down. Glenn in the Star Sports office told me ‘there had been a few bets of note including £355 on Dogon at 11/2, £750 on Admirals Sunset at 13/8 plus bets of £5000 – £1500 and £550 at 10/3 on the winner Darling Du Large – a Lively little race’ I have no idea what happened down in the betting ring, I decided to give it a swerve for a heat after I put them all away regarding the stewards!

4:05 – newtonabbotracing.com Handicap Chase (Class 5) (5YO plus) 2m 5f

There was a real turn-up in the penultimate when 33/1 outsider Candyman Can, could! Laura Hurley’s hitherto 11-year-old maiden stuck its neck out under James Best to win by that distance from 4/1 chance Joly Maker. The winning pilot appeared scarcely able to believe it himself. He told Luke Harvey that the rain softened ground helped in that they’d gone just that half a stride slower so his mount had been able to run in his comfort zone, feeling that he had a chance he went for a ‘fly or die’ jump at the last and that his mount had really toughed it out. I dared a trek back down to the betting ring where I guessed the bookmakers would be happier having just enjoyed and good old-fashioned turn-up for the books. They were. Dave Spice said that they’d had a good race and that taking into consideration today was a wet Monday business had been pretty good.

4:38 – Talk Tidy Marketing Mares’ Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race) (Class 5) (4YO to 6YO) 2m 1f

It was just as well that the bookies had a good cop in the penultimate because it was back to winning favourites in the concluding bumper. ‘Tips on’ 10/11 chance Mattie Ross won the bumper as the punters expected under Daniel Hiskett for Richard Phillips. The meeting didn’t provide a great set of results for the layers. There was no word from Glenn in the office. That’s rarely good news! Concluding another excellent meeting at the UK’s southernmost track which pretty much had it all, except winning bookmakers maybe.

SIMON NOTT

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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