SIMON NOTT: Newton Abbot Monday On Course Report
Yep, it’s become my new ‘normal’, apply for a slot to attend, if I’m lucky enough to get one, fill out the on-line questionnaire. Then when you turn up to the racecourse you get your temperature checked and questions asked on your way in and spend the day on a virtually deserted racecourse. It’s the new normal which I’m lucky to be part of and that Newton Abbot have now got down to a fine art, but it’s still very sad to see.
2:10 – Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Conditional Jockeys’ Selling Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus) 2m 2½f
The opening race was one where there was a field full of horses who could potentially improve on what they shown thus far. The application of readies, or more likely these days digital funds, would probably be the best clue to the imminence of anything belying the form book. There was very little of either in evidence with most punters appearing to show little interest in the race. It went to the David Rees trained and Ben Jones ridden 10/1 shot Buck Bravo which won by 3 ½ lengths. After the race the winning pilot told Luke Harvey that they weren’t sure how straight the gelding was. He felt a million dollars during the race and that point to pointing had sweetened him up. He won well but didn’t attract a bid in the subsequent auction despite the best efforts of the auctioneer.
2:40 – Visit attheraces.com Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 1f
I didn’t take a photo of the Fergal O’Brien trained The Bees Knees after his 7/2 victory. The reason being, winning jockey Max Kendrick was leading him in, I feared there might be something amiss with the winner. Luckily, it was all down to the pilot losing his gum shield, telling Luke that he’d dropped it and as they were so expensive, he didn’t want to donate it to Newton Abbot racecourse. He added that the gelding had been thriving at home after being a little picky with his food when he first arrived at the yard and that the combination of a tongue tie for the first time and dropping slightly back in trip had helped his cause. Someone anticipated that they would, punters were on at 7/1 with some firms in the morning. Luckily the biggest bet the office laid the winner was £1050 – £300, punters were keener on Hasanabad to the tune of £1100 – £800 and £2750 – £2000 which stayed in the hod. The Bees Knees was also an early mover noted by the Star Sports trading team in the daily Starters Orders page on this site. CLICK HERE
3:10 – Sky Sports Racing On Virgin 535 Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 5f
The punters latched on to the wrong one again as Alan King’s 3/1 chance Senior Citizen got the better of a real tussle with Paul Nicholls’ 9/5 favourite Darling Maltaix by a neck. Bets of £3750 – £2000 each-way and £2000 – £1000 stayed were struck over the runner-up in the office. The winning jockey Adrian Heskin said after the race that the winner was a tough horse, he’d wanted to make it a good test of stamina because the trip today around Newton Abbot was plenty sharp enough for him.
3:40 – Watch Sky Sports Racing In HD Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 5½f
High Wells was sent off the 13/8 jolly in the fourth but that’s the best he could place too. The favourite was looking around and skyward at the start, not a good sign according to one judge. An eavesdropper added, he overhead that that the gelding doesn’t like to be around other horses. You’d have had to have been a good judge to pick the winner, top weight Francky du Berlais, Peter Bowen’s 22/1 chance was given a great ride by Sean Bowen. The office reported that business was very light, punters that thought the race too tricky to get stuck in to got it right.
4:10 – Follow attheraces On Twitter Handicap Chase (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m ½f
The race before the penultimate was a bad one for the office. The 5/4 winner Scardura had been a well-backed horse all morning including a couple of grand bets in a race described by Ed in the office at a ‘One Horse Book’.
Over at the parade ring I caught the tail end of a conversation between the trainer Milton Harris and Luke Harvey. It’s safe to assume that the gist I got was that he was far from pleased about the 10 day ban handed out to jockey Mitchell Bastyan after his last of four ride on 50/1 chance charge Janus in the 2.40.
Scardura was also one of the three market movers given out earlier.
That left one running in the 4.30 at Newcastle.
Did it win…… of course it did 🙁 We don’t like Mondays. A 54/1 treble and that’s just at SP not the early prices snapped up.
4:40 – Bryan And Ilva Westcott Memorial Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 5½f
Sunrise Baby won the penultimate for Nicky Henderson under Nico de Boinville returning a shade of odds-on 5/6. The winning jockey said she deserved to win and that they would see where they go from here, adding that apart from thinking about the last and having to be a bit nimble the mare gave a good round of jumping. The news from the office was predictably bad. ‘Everyone’s on the winner’ was the message from Rory. Bets included £900 – £900, £1000-£1100, £2083 – £2500, £833- £1000 and £909 – £1000.
5:10 – Racing Partnership Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus) 3m 2½f
The lucky last went to Nigel Hawke’s Innerpickle sent off at 5/1 and winning under David Noonan from 6/1 chance My Lady Grey in a competitive race. Ed in the office messaged to say that all the money was for 5/4 favourite Tipalong Taylor with bets of £1000, £800 x 3 all at ‘up the arm’ (11/8) and that the winner a good result. It’s always good to hear the firm wins on the last heat of a meeting and gets some back for the good guys.
Simon Nott
Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.
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