A Cracking Summer's Day in Devon — Let's Get Into It

Right, pull up a stool and listen close, because Newton Abbot is serving up a proper Saturday afternoon of jumping and I've been through the Newton Abbot racecard with a fine-tooth comb and a strong cup of tea. Seven races, Good going underfoot, and a card that ranges from maiden hurdle fodder to a tasty £25,000 feature that's well worth your attention. The summer jumping game doesn't always get the credit it deserves, but on a day like this, in the heart of Devon with the ground riding fair, you can find some cracking value if you know where to look.

Good ground at Newton Abbot in August is about as reliable as a wet Monday in Mullingar, so when you get it, you appreciate it. It's a track that suits a handy, athletic sort — nothing too big and lumbering — and with the going riding true, we should get a fair test across the board. No excuses for connections today. If your horse doesn't run well on Good ground at a flat-ish track like this, then something's amiss.

The Feature Race: Scone Estates Stone of Destiny Handicap Hurdle (16:05, Class 2, £25k)

This is the one that matters most on the day — a £25,000 Class 2 handicap hurdle over two miles, and it's a proper little puzzle. Eight runners, a spread of ratings from 104 to 129, and a couple of horses at the top of the weights that could easily dominate proceedings on Good ground.

The Last Cloud (Patrick Neville, Brian Hughes up) heads the market on a rating of 129 and carries the course-and-distance form flag with both a [C] and [D] to his name. He's been here before and he's liked what he's found. Brian Hughes is as reliable as they come in these conditions, and Neville's yard has been firing. This horse is the one to beat, plain and simple.

But here's where I'd have a small each-way interest — Filibustering for Harry Derham, ridden by Paul O'Brien, is also on 129 but carries a distance form flag [D] that suggests he's well suited to this trip. Derham is a trainer on the up, and O'Brien is a sharp jockey who doesn't get enough credit. If The Last Cloud gets in a battle up front, Filibustering could nick it late.

Squeezebox (Tom Lacey, Stan Sheppard) is interesting too — rated 119, distance form confirmed [D], and Sheppard has been in decent nick. He might just be the value in the race at a bigger price, especially if the front two cancel each other out. Good ground suits a horse that travels well, and Sheppard is the type to give him a patient, well-judged ride.

Key Runners to Watch Across the Card

13:40 — Maiden Hurdle: Try Them Looks the Part

The opener is a maiden hurdle and, look, maiden hurdles in August are rarely straightforward. But Try Them (Patrick Neville, Brian Hughes) is rated 109 — the highest-rated horse in the race — and that's a significant edge in a field where four of the seven have no official mark at all. Hughes is on fire at the moment and Neville keeps sending them out ready. The 4-year-olds with ratings tend to be well ahead of the unraced sorts at this level.

St Just In Time (Harry Derham, Paul O'Brien) is rated 106 and is a 6-year-old who really should be winning maiden hurdles by now — which either tells you he's been facing decent company or he's got a quirk or two. Worth a look at the price, but I wouldn't be rushing to back him.

Keep an eye on C'Est Pour Moi from the Twiston-Davies yard, ridden by the impressive Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell. No rating, but the Twiston-Davies operation doesn't send horses to Devon in August for the scenery. Could be well-handicapped on debut.

14:15 — Novices' Chase: Tamarind Bay the One to Side With

Only five runners in this Class 3 novices' chase, but it's a quality little heat. Tamarind Bay (Mickey Bowen, Sean Bowen) is rated 128 and carries both course and distance form [C,D] — that's the golden ticket at Newton Abbot. Sean Bowen is a jockey who makes things look effortless, and with his father training, there's a tight operation behind this one. He's the banker of the day for me.

Follow Your Luck (Patrick Neville, Dylan Johnston) is also rated 124 with distance form [D] and is trained by the same yard that saddles The Last Cloud in the feature. Neville clearly fancies his chances across the card today. Johnston is a quietly effective jockey — doesn't grab the headlines but gets the job done.

14:50 — Handicap Hurdle: Lets Mingle Could Outrun Her Price

Eleven runners in this 2m4f handicap and it's a tricky one. Lets Mingle (Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore, Jack Power) is top-rated on 112 and holds both course and distance form [C,D]. She's exactly the type of mare who thrives on Good ground — active, travels well, and the combination of Russell/Scudamore is a powerful dual-trainer operation that knows how to place a horse.

Dream's Ka (Katie Scott, Ryan Mania) is a 4-year-old rated 111 with distance form [D] — young, lightly raced, and potentially well ahead of some of the older, more exposed rivals. Mania is a fine jockey and Scott is a trainer worth following when she sends them south.

16:40 — Handicap Chase: Shantou Show to Deliver

A competitive little Class 5 chase to round out the jumping action. Shantou Show (Noel C. Kelly, Sean Bowen) is top-rated on 100 and Bowen takes the ride again — his second drive of the day and he'll be hungry for a double. The horse is a 10-year-old who knows his job, and Kelly is a trainer who doesn't waste his time with long trips for no reason.

Button Rock (Andrew Hamilton, Derek Fox) has course form [C] and Fox is a jockey who rides Newton Abbot well. At 98 rated and with track knowledge, he's the main danger at a potential each-way price.

How the Good Ground Shapes the Day

Good ground on a summer's day at Newton Abbot is a leveller in the best possible sense. The track is relatively flat with tight turns, and on decent going, it rewards horses that are athletic, well-balanced, and jump fluently rather than big, powerful gallopers who need soft ground to get into their rhythm. Stamina is still important over the longer trips — particularly in the 2m7f races — but on Good, the premium shifts slightly toward class and jumping ability over raw staying power.

For the feature race, Good ground means the pace will be honest and the finish will be run at a fair clip. Horses with course-and-distance form [C,D] are always worth extra respect here because Newton Abbot's unique layout can catch out horses who haven't experienced it before. The tight bends and undulating back straight can unsettle a novice, so experience counts.

In the bumper finale, with four unraced 4-year-olds, the ground is almost irrelevant — it's all about natural talent and how well they've been prepared. Downtown Nashville (Olly Murphy, Lewis Saunders) catches the eye purely on trainer reputation — Murphy is one of the best in the business with young bumper horses and rarely sends one on a long journey without reason.

Best Bets & Ones to Watch — Tom's Summary

  • BANKER: Tamarind Bay (14:15) — Course and distance form, top jockey, top trainer. Hard to oppose.
  • NAP: The Last Cloud (16:05) — Course-and-distance specialist in the feature. Brian Hughes won't be hanging around.
  • EACH-WAY: Filibustering (16:05) — Same weight as the favourite but could outrun his price with Paul O'Brien in the saddle.
  • EACH-WAY: Squeezebox (16:05) — Distance form, Stan Sheppard aboard, and could be the value option if the top two fight it out.
  • ONE TO WATCH: C'Est Pour Moi (13:40) — Twiston-Davies don't travel for fun. Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell is a talented conditional worth following.

It's a grand day's racing in Devon, and if you're not at the track, make sure you've got the Newton Abbot racecard open in front of you. Good luck, back them each-way where the price warrants it, and remember — the banker is only a banker until the first fence. That's jump racing for you, and God love it.