A Gem in the Heart of Devon

There are racecourses that impress through scale and grandeur, and then there are courses that win you over quietly, through character and charm. Newton Abbot belongs firmly in the second category, and for those of us who have spent a warm afternoon in the Devon sunshine watching good horses contest honest races in front of a crowd that genuinely cares, it occupies a very particular place in the heart.

Established in 1866 and tucked into the folds of the South Devon countryside, Newton Abbot has been doing something quietly remarkable for the better part of a century and a half: keeping National Hunt racing alive and vibrant through the summer months, when the great majority of jumping tracks are shuttered and resting. That role — as a guardian of the summer jumping calendar — deserves more recognition than it typically receives. While the sport's attention turns to the Flat during the warmer months, Newton Abbot quietly gets on with the business of developing young chasers and hurdlers, giving seasoned handicappers a competitive stage, and offering connections the kind of prize money and race conditions that allow them to manage their horses thoughtfully and with an eye on the longer season ahead.

The atmosphere here is intimate in the best possible sense. The stands are close to the action, the paddock feels genuinely accessible, and there is a warmth to the crowd that reflects the West Country's deep and abiding affection for its racing. This is not a course where you feel like a spectator at a spectacle — it is one where you feel like a participant in something local and loved.

This Week's Fixtures: Wednesday and Thursday in September

Newton Abbot offers two afternoon National Hunt cards this week, and taken together they represent a thoroughly appealing pair of days out for racing fans in the region and beyond.

The first fixture is Newton Abbot Wednesday, 23 September 2026, a six-race afternoon card that opens the week's action. The following day brings Newton Abbot Thursday, 24 September 2026, a slightly fuller card of seven races. Both afternoons are run under National Hunt rules, with a mix of hurdle and chase contests that will cater to a wide range of horses at varying stages of their careers.

The going for both days is declared as Good to Soft, Good in Places — ground that the racecourse has described as aiming to replicate the conditions experienced at the April Perth Festival. That is a meaningful reference point. Perth in spring tends to produce ground that is testing enough to favour genuine jumpers with stamina reserves, while remaining quick enough to reward horses with a turn of foot. It is, in short, fair ground — the kind that allows a well-prepared, properly trained horse to perform to its ability without being unduly punished by extremes in either direction.

From a welfare perspective, this is encouraging. Ground that sits in this range tends to be kinder on joints and tendons than either firm summer turf or heavy winter ground, and it speaks well of the groundskeeping team at Newton Abbot that they are actively targeting a specific quality of surface rather than simply working with whatever the September weather delivers. Trainers sending horses a long distance to Devon this week can do so with a reasonable degree of confidence about what their animals will encounter underfoot.

Understanding the Track: What Newton Abbot Demands

Newton Abbot is a sharp, left-handed oval of just over a mile and one furlong per circuit, and that compactness shapes everything about the racing here. The track is relatively flat — there are no significant undulations to speak of — and the bends come around quickly enough that a horse which settles well and travels smoothly through a race has a meaningful advantage over one that wastes energy fighting for position or fighting its jockey.

With nine fences per circuit and a run-in of approximately 200 yards, the emphasis falls on agility and precision rather than raw jumping power. Horses that are tidy and economical at their obstacles tend to flourish here; those that are big, bold leapers can sometimes find the fences arrive too quickly for them to truly show their best. Jockeys who know the track will tell you that the key is to be travelling well as you turn for home — the short run-in leaves very little room to make up ground, and a horse that hits the front too soon can be caught by something coming with a well-timed challenge on the outside.

Pace is a significant factor. Because the circuit is tight and the races are often run at a good clip, horses with natural speed and the ability to race prominently tend to have an advantage over those who prefer to come from off the pace. A hold-up horse can certainly win at Newton Abbot, but it requires a particularly well-judged ride and, ideally, a race that is genuinely run to suit.

What Type of Horse Thrives Here?

The profile of a typical Newton Abbot winner is reasonably consistent across the season. Look for:

  • Compact, athletic types — horses that are nimble and balanced around tight bends, rather than the big, long-striding animals that prefer a galloping track.
  • Front-runners and prominent racers — the track rewards those that can dictate or at least sit close to the pace without over-exerting themselves in the early stages.
  • Horses with course form — Newton Abbot's unique characteristics mean that previous winners here often go well again. Do not overlook a horse returning to a track where it has already demonstrated it handles the idiosyncrasies.
  • Lightly weighted handicappers — with the going in a fair range and the track favouring tactical racing, a well-handicapped horse ridden positively can be devastating in the competitive handicap events that Newton Abbot specialises in.
  • Horses from local or West Country yards — trainers based in Devon, Somerset, and the broader South West know this track intimately, and their runners often arrive here in peak condition and well-prepared for the specific demands of the course.

Practical Tips for Racegoers and Punters

Whether you are planning to make the trip to Devon or following proceedings from home, a few practical considerations are worth keeping in mind as you approach this week's cards.

For those attending in person, Newton Abbot's intimate layout means that the paddock and pre-parade ring are well worth visiting before each race. The course's close-knit atmosphere makes it genuinely possible to observe horses carefully before they race — watch for horses that are moving well, carrying their condition, and appearing relaxed in the preliminaries. On good to soft ground, a horse that is fractious or sweating heavily before the off may be expending energy it cannot afford to lose.

From a betting perspective, the seven-race card on Thursday offers slightly more variety and, with an extra contest, the potential for more value in the market. Early declarations will be worth monitoring closely — ground conditions can shift overnight in September, and any significant change to the going could alter the complexion of individual races meaningfully.

It is also worth paying attention to the trainers saddling horses over these two days. Yards that treat their horses as long-term investments rather than short-term commodities tend to produce well-prepared runners at a course like Newton Abbot, where the racing is competitive but not at the very highest level. A trainer who has taken the trouble to find the right race for the right horse at the right time is often your best ally as a punter.

A Conclusion Worth Savouring

Newton Abbot does not ask for much from you — only that you show up with an open heart and a willingness to appreciate racing for what it is at its most elemental: horses and riders testing themselves honestly against one another on a piece of ground that has been hosting exactly that contest for more than 150 years. This week's two-day fixture is a fine example of what the course does so consistently well — providing a platform for good horses to run good races in front of people who genuinely love the sport.

The good to soft ground, the tight left-handed track, the thirteen races spread across Wednesday and Thursday — it all adds up to a week of jumping that deserves your attention, whether you are in the stands at Devon or watching from wherever racing takes you. Take the time to explore the full Newton Abbot course page for further background, and make sure you have both the Wednesday racecard and the Thursday racecard bookmarked and ready as declarations come in. West Country racing at its warmest awaits.