Race type - Jump
Newton Abbot
Course details
Set in the rolling Devon countryside and a short distance from the coast, Newton Abbot relies heavily on the tourists which are drawn to the region, and this was instrumental in the management's decision to abandon racing in the winter months.
It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005 and judging by the popularity of meetings, it's good for another 150 years!
GUIDE - For Racecourse
Left-handed, square-shaped circuit of 1m1f.
Set in the rolling Devon countryside and a short distance from the coast, Newton Abbot relies heavily on the tourists which are drawn to the region, and this was instrumental in the management's decision to abandon racing in the winter months. In fact, it now markets itself as the 'leading summer jumping racecourse in the UK' and while a few other courses would also claim lay claim to that (Market Rasen and Stratford, to name but two), it's no doubt the flagship for summer National Hunt racing in the West Country with all it's meetings taking place between late March and early September. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005 and judging by the popularity of meetings, it's good for another 150 years!
Principal Races
Prize money at the track is decent throughout the summer with a £10k handicap being staged at most meetings, but the two best races are run at the two-day 'Summer Festival'. One of these, the Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase, has Listed status, with the other being a valuable handicap hurdle. Both have prize funds of £25k in 2012.
Course Characteristics
It's a sharp left-handed measuring 1m1f in circumference and the bends are particularly sharp due to the squarish nature of the track. Like many of the UK's racecourses, it simply wouldn't be built in this day and age but that's what makes our racing so diverse and unique. As you'd expect, it's not a place to run a long-striding, galloping animal and indeed the more nimble types excel here as they can lay close to the pace or even front run. The shortness of the home straight on both the chase and hurdles tracks is another thing in their favour as once the runners swing into the home straight, there is precious little time to mount a challenge, and the run-in after the last hurdle is particularly short. Make a bad mistake here and it's curtains as before you know it something has gone past you. On the other hand, fly the obstacle and you are all but 'home and hosed'.
Top Trainers
As you'd expect it's the big West Country stables that churn out the most winners here with Paul Nicholls leading the way with 48 winners over the past five seasons. He can be pretty much followed blind too as he's operating at a strike rate of 32% and backing all his runners would have yielded a level stakes profit of £27. No wonder the holidaymakers go home happy! Like father like son, they say, and that certainly holds true of David Pipe, whose father Martin was champion trainer 15 times and dominated racing here, with 38 of his horses being led into the winner's enclosure. The track is within easy reach of South Wales and that encourages both Evan Williams and Tim Vaughan to pay the rack a visit and they rarely leave empty handed. Philip Hobbs and Colin Tizzard are two other trainers worth following.
Top Jockeys
If you see AP McCoy jocked up next to a horse's name on the race card you just know it's going to get a great ride, and the champ has proved particularly effective around here with a bookie-busting 55 winners since 2007 at a strike rate of 26%. Next in the table is Richard Johnson (39 winners / 18%), with Pipe's stable jockey Tom Scudamore at a respectable distance in third on 25 winners. Neither should be followed blind, however, as their winners tend to go off at short prices, and a more profitable angle is provided by Tom O'Brien, who is operating at around 19% and backers of all his rides would have made a level stakes profit of £44. Paddy Brennan and Daryl Jacob also make the most of their opportunities here.