LAST MEETING REVIEW

We were treated to seven brilliant races at our last meeting, that saw Fergal 1 1 O’Brien continue his good run of form, registering yet another double. The opening race on of the action-packed card began was the NewtonAbbotRace On Twitter Maiden Hurdle. The debutant Star Of Valour headed the market for the Joe Tizzard team after showing promise on the flat, but could only manage third at his first attempt over hurdles. The second and third favourite in the market dualled out the finish however, with Herecomeshogan coming out on top with the handy 7lb claimer Finn Lambert on board. Our second race of the day saw four runners take to the track and the improving sevenyear-old On Springs came out on top to justify the odds-on shot. He travelled powerfully throughout, tracking the pace, and as soon as Luca Morgan began to send out stress signals four from home, he picked up nicely to score by five and a half lengths. He seems to be really enjoying his racing this summer, making it 4-5, and made easy work of the 5lb rise from his narrow Worcester success. Elham Valley gave Fergal O’Brien his first success of the afternoon in the Congratulations Woolfy On Your 70th Birthday Handicap Hurdle, which saw a competitive five runner field go down to post. The early exit of the 6/4 market leader left the race wide-open and

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Page Fuller dictated the pace on Bucko’s Boy but she was headed after the last hurdle by botgh Elham 4 Valley and Manor Park, with the former prevailing by just a head for 7lb claimer Jack Hogan. Although an odds-on shot, Paddy Brennan was unable to land the gamble on the hat-trick seeking Byzantine Empire from the Fergal O’Brien stable. With the early departure of the rank outsider, it left just the two runners in the race and Sam Twiston-Davies produced another classical front-running ride on Ragamuffin in the Brendon Soper Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase. He made all and increased the tempo three from home and kept on gamely to the line by 12 lengths to cause a huge upset.

The stewards were called to action for the fifth race on the card, the Newton Abbot Racecourse On Facebook Handicap Hurdle. Paddy Brennan proved to be having an unfortunate day as he came home first across the line on the Milton Harris-trained Presenting Yeats, but the race was awarded to Nicky Henderson’s in-mate Jen’s Boy, ridden by Nico de Boinville. The stewards changed the result due to the pair finishing just a head apart and with the ‘winner’ hanging left and causing interference. These two kicked a further 13 lengths ahead of any other rival so could be worth keeping on side for the future. Our penultimate race saw Cheltenham De Vaige win the Talk Tidy Marketing Handicap Chase over three miles two furlongs. He proved well-found in the market, despite some poor displays the last twice, but proved very game to battle back on the run-in over Mr Mafia. This gave Fergal O’Brien another win on the card, and it was reported that the sudden i mprovement was due to the quicker ground. Our final race saw yet another favourite go on to score. Colonel Lesley landed the Visit attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle race in good style and was another winner on the card to be up with the pace throughout. Paul O’Brien made no mistakes again around here and his mount made no issue of the 4lb hike in the weights following a Stratford success. He has been thriving since the removal of the headgear and another win could well be in his measure again.

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PHOTOS:

1  HERECOMESHOGAN 2  ON SPRINGS 3  ELHAM VALLEY OWNERS 4  RAGAMUFFIN 5  JEN’S BOY 6  CHELTENAM DE VAIGE 7  COLONEL LESLEY