A Proper Devon Sunday
My dad used to say that summer jumping was God's way of rewarding the faithful — the people who'd sat through February sleet at Catterick and March mud at Taunton and still came back for more. He'd have loved a day like this at Newton Abbot. Good ground, a bit of Devon sunshine, and six races with enough quality to keep the most discerning punter busy from first race to last. I wasn't there in person today, but trust me, I've spent enough Sunday afternoons on that Devon hillside to picture it perfectly — the smell of the pasties, the hum of the crowd, and the sound of hooves on firm turf. Bliss.
The Newton Abbot racecard for Sunday 12 July was a proper mixed bag in the best possible sense — novice hurdlers finding their feet, seasoned chasers going hammer and tongs, and a conditional jockeys' contest at the end to keep things interesting. Let's get into it.
The Feature Race: Statuario the One to Beat
The Sport, Education & Wellbeing Handicap Chase over 2m 7f 180y was the standout race of the afternoon — Class 3, £15,000 in prize money, and a field of seven that had genuine depth to it. On ratings, Statuario (Sean Bowen) was the one they all had to beat, heading the weights on 131. And when Sean Bowen turns up for a summer Sunday at Newton Abbot, you sit up and take notice. He doesn't make the trip for the scenery.
Statuario's course and distance form marks him out as exactly the type to relish this track — Newton Abbot can catch out the flat-track bullies, but horses who've been around here before and handled the undulations tend to be reliable. He's the kind of horse that makes you feel comfortable at the off, even if the market sometimes makes you wince at the price.
The danger I kept coming back to was Parisencore (Danny McMenamin), rated 125 and with course form in the book. McMenamin is a quietly effective jockey who doesn't always get the headlines but consistently delivers on tracks like this. Grand Clermont (Rian Corcoran, 124) also deserves respect — Corcoran was busy all day and clearly had a book of rides worth riding. Walk On Quest (Derek Fox, 123) was another with course and distance experience, and Fox is the sort of journeyman professional who knows Newton Abbot like the back of his hand.
At the bottom of the weights, keep an eye on Inis Oirr (Patrick Wadge, 108) — course and distance winner, lightly weighted, and the type of horse that summer jumping was invented for.
Ones to Follow — Horses Worth Tracking
This is the bit I always enjoy most. Never mind today's result — where are these horses going next, and should we be following them?
Holy Joe (Novices' Hurdle)
Opening the card in the Book Your Christmas Party Novices' Hurdle, Holy Joe (Rian Corcoran, 119) was the form pick on ratings, but the one that caught my eye was Dolly Dior (Danny McMenamin) — unrated, which in a summer novice hurdle can mean almost anything, but the [D] flag for course experience suggests connections know what they're doing. Novice hurdlers who run well at Newton Abbot in July often reappear at the track in the autumn when prize money steps up. File the name away.
Noble Birth (Handicap Hurdle, 15:16)
Noble Birth (Charlie Maggs, 120) tops the weights in the Saints in the Community Handicap Hurdle and carries course and distance form. Maggs is a jockey on the up — he's got a lovely rhythm about him and doesn't panic when things get tight. If Noble Birth ran well here, he's the type to follow to a similar track. Atlantic City (Sean Bowen, 112) is another with course and distance credentials, and at 8lb below the top weight, the handicapper may have given him a chance.
Secret Trix (Handicap Hurdle, 16:26)
The Saints Kidz Community Football Handicap Hurdle over 2m 7f looked a fascinating puzzle. Secret Trix (Sean Bowen, 120) — note again that Bowen connection — carries course experience and is joint-top on the ratings. But the one I'd be watching is Dalileo (Brian Hughes, 95). Bottom of the weights, course and distance form, and Brian Hughes riding — that's a combination that wins more than it should at tracks like this. Hughes is the consummate professional and doesn't take rides he doesn't fancy.
Garde des Champs (Summer Jumps Chase)
In the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Handicap Chase, the intriguing runner was Garde des Champs (Alan Doyle, 105) — course and distance winner, lowest-rated of the principals, but that [C,D] double flag tells its own story. Horses like this thrive at Newton Abbot all summer long. If he ran a big race here, he'll be back.
Notable Jockey Performances
You can't talk about today without mentioning Sean Bowen, who had rides in four of the six races. When a jockey of Bowen's calibre commits to a full book at a summer Sunday meeting, it tells you something about the quality of the card — and about the horses he's been booked for. His mounts in the feature chase and the two handicap hurdles were all horses with legitimate claims. Whatever the results, his presence elevated the afternoon.
Rian Corcoran was similarly busy, riding in five races. Corcoran has been quietly building a fine record at summer jumping venues, and his association with several of the better-fancied runners today suggests connections trust him when it matters.
A special mention too for Miss Imogen Mathias, taking the ride on Parikarma in the 15:16. Amateur and conditional riders are the lifeblood of National Hunt racing, and it's always good to see them getting opportunities in competitive handicaps. The sport needs them.
Looking Ahead
Summer jumping at Newton Abbot is a funny beast — it's not the most glamorous stretch of the calendar, but the horses who perform well here in July and August often translate that form into something meaningful when the proper season kicks off in October. The good ground suits certain types, and those types are worth knowing.
Keep an eye on the novice hurdlers from the opener — they'll likely reappear at Exeter, Chepstow, or back here before the season turns. The feature chase runners, particularly anything that ran well at the top of the weights, could easily pop up in a decent prize at Cheltenham's Countryside Alliance raceday or one of the early-season handicaps at Haydock.
And if you see Dalileo or Garde des Champs declared anywhere in the next few weeks — well, you didn't hear it from me. But you might want to have a little look.
Final Thoughts
Sunday afternoons at Newton Abbot don't get nearly enough credit. It's not Ascot, it's not Cheltenham, but it's honest, competitive racing on a track that sorts out the genuine horses from the ones just going through the motions. Today's card had real quality in the feature chase, intrigue in the novice hurdle, and the kind of handicap puzzles that keep the rest of us arguing happily until closing time.
Check the full Newton Abbot racecard for all the details, and keep those notebooks handy — summer jumping has a habit of throwing up next season's winners when you least expect it. My dad knew that. Now you do too.
