Fans out in force for sold-out eight-race card

AN eight-race card comes under orders at 12.30pm today at Newton Abbot’s second meeting of the 2022 season, writes David Hucker.

The opening race is the Racing Partnership Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and one furlong. Knappers Hill, sent off favourite in a hot handicap at Sandown Park won by his stable companion Complete Unknown, has a clear chance. Diligent, who has won over fences and hurdles here, continued his winning ways at Taunton but, on official ratings, has a bit to find on Knappers Hill.

Next up is the feature race of the afternoon, the Class 3 Everybody Smile It’s Pete’s 70th Birthday Handicap

Chase over two miles and five furlongs. This could go to As You Like, twice a winner over fences here in 2019, who could be well-weighted on a mark of 122. Rock On Rocco was winning for the third time over fences when beating Flashing Glance at Uttoxeter and Seddon reverts to chasing after a run of five hurdle races which saw him finish runner-up to Big Bad Bear at Newcastle last time.

The longest race of the afternoon is the Newtonabbotrace On Twitter Handicap Hurdle and trainer Milton Harris, who is having his best season with 52 winners, has chosen Presenting Yeats, a winner three times this season including over course and distance last July, from his two entries. He receives a lot of weight from the veteran Dell’ Arca, who runs off a rating of 117 compared to 150 at his best.

Wincanton winner Forget You Not could run well in the Our Green Corner Los Gigantes Novices’ Handicap Chase for Saltash trainer Jackie Du Plessis, before Light Em Up Nigel, narrowly beaten at Exeter on his second start over hurdles, may get off the mark for Minehead trainer Nicky Martin in the following Fudge Bassett Memorial “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle. San Giovanni, whose trainer Harry Fry had a treble at the opening meeting, could be a danger, although he was beaten a long way on his previous run and needs to step up here.

Christian Williams is gaining a reputation as a trainer of long-distance chasers, saddling the first and second in the Scottish Grand National earlier this month. This is his best season numerically and for prize money won and he had two entries in the Get Well Soon Big Jim Handicap Chase over three-and-a-quarter miles, opting to run Uttoxeter winner Motown Lake.

Fellow Welsh trainer Bernard Llewellyn had five entries in the closing Good Luck Stuart And Thank You Handicap Hurdle and two, Triple Nickle and Mind Hunter, run in the first division, although neither may beat David Pipe’s hat-trick seeking Lady Reset. Returning from a 208-day break, she has also been successful five times on the flat and looks an interesting contender here.

Llewellyn’s other three entries run in the second division, the best of which could be Ascot Day, but the one to beat might be Folly Gate, who returns to hurdles after a spell over fences, running off a rating of 94 compared to 110 at Wincanton just thirteen months ago.