Newton Abbot Course Guide

Jump racing takes place throughout the year at Newton Abbot but its main emphasis is on summer jumping with the highlight being the Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase. Upgraded to Listed status in 2008, the contest takes place in August and is run over two miles and five and a half furlongs. Kings Brook won the race in both 2006 and 2007 for trainer Nick Williams and Take The Stand won the race in 2004 before finishing second in that season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. Welsh trainer Peter Bowen was also successful in 2008 with Snoopy Loopy, who went onto win the Grade 1 Betfair Lancashire Chase at Haydock.

The Devon course also stages a decent Novices’ Chase in November. Ran over an extended two miles and five furlongs, the contest was won in 2004 by Ashley Brook, who was later placed in an Arkle, a Tingle Creek and a Game Spirit Chase before winning the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.

Jumps Racing

Left handed, tight. Favours handy types, with prominently-ridden horses at an advantage more often than not. Fences pose few problems. Very short run-in on hurdles course means the lead very rarely changes hands from the last.

Non-stayers can win around Newton Abbot, but you do need a horse that travels, because it feels as if you’re always on the turn. For that reason, it can be a good place to go with ex-Flat horses. I can’t stress enough, though, just how massively important the ability to travel is - if you’re off the bridle at Newton Abbot, it’s a nightmare. You need a horse that can jump, too, because the fences are no walkover, and they seem to come at you quite quick. The hurdles track is also fast, but easier to ride.

View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald

Newton Abbot Top Times
Last 5 years

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 75y	Romanor (Good)	20 Aug 2022	3m 50.6s
2m 4f 216y	Time To Bite (Good)	20 May 2024	5m 3.47s
3m 1f 170y	Friends Don't Ask (Good)	02 Jul 2021	6m 23.49s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 167y	Daany (Good)	31 Aug 2024	3m 50.28s
2m 2f 110y	Sirekoff (Good)	22 Aug 2024	4m 18.08s
2m 5f 122y	Lallygag (Good)	31 Aug 2024	5m 1.86s
3m 2f 105y	Via Dante (Good)	22 Aug 2024	6m 19.72s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 167y	Takeonedayatatime (Good)	14 May 2025	3m 49.3s

Newton Abbot Top Trainers
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P F Nicholls	33	12	11	£88,283	36.36%	£0.82
J Tizzard	55	11	29	£84,607	20%	£1.25
Evan Williams	37	7	20	£37,708	18.92%	-£8.63
Dan Skelton	21	6	13	£45,565	28.57%	-£0.92
A J Honeyball	16	6	8	£44,826	37.5%	£8.80
Mrs D A Hamer	13	6	6	£40,364	46.15%	£11.80
P Hobbs & J White	18	5	10	£35,322	27.78%	£19.50
C Honour	10	4	1	£23,130	40%	£47.75
J W Mullins	16	3	5	£20,067	18.75%	-£6.00
Mickey Bowen	8	3	5	£21,372	37.5%	-£1.66

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P F Nicholls	42	14	15	£76,270	33.33%	-£2.96
Dan Skelton	38	13	10	£83,428	34.21%	£5.75
J Tizzard	61	10	26	£59,692	16.39%	-£12.75
D Pipe	51	10	15	£56,688	19.61%	£21.81
P Hobbs & J White	33	7	12	£41,856	21.21%	-£15.65
Evan Williams	49	6	17	£30,913	12.24%	-£21.54
F O'Brien	32	6	17	£35,172	18.75%	-£14.58
A J Honeyball	36	5	17	£25,383	13.89%	-£6.50
M Blake	14	5	5	£33,626	35.71%	£16.00
T Lacey	12	5	5	£30,767	41.67%	£6.97

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P Bowen	5	3	2	£10,346	60%	£3.60
A J Honeyball	5	2	3	£5,444	40%	£6.75
P Hobbs & J White	4	2	0	£5,446	50%	£3.75
Mickey Bowen	2	2	0	£5,446	100%	£0.66
Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	5	1	4	£2,722	20%	-£2.00
F O'Brien	4	1	2	£3,697	25%	-£1.00
S Hosie	3	1	2	£2,722	33.33%	-£0.80
P F Nicholls	6	1	1	£2,640	16.67%	-£4.33
H Fry	3	1	1	£2,722	33.33%	£2.50
Chester Williams	2	1	1	£2,905	50%	£0.63

Newton Abbot Top Jockeys
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Brendan Powell	42	7	25	£53,449	16.67%	-£4.50
Sam Twiston-Davies	20	6	10	£44,826	30%	£3.80
Harry Skelton	16	6	9	£35,036	37.5%	£2.08
James Best	20	6	8	£41,252	30%	£6.30
Bryan Carver	17	6	6	£33,641	35.29%	£44.98
Adam Wedge	30	5	17	£26,652	16.67%	-£12.75
Freddie Gingell	23	5	11	£35,911	21.74%	£3.25
S Bowen	25	5	9	£37,412	20%	£1.72
James Bowen	17	5	9	£34,522	29.41%	-£3.84
H Cobden	23	5	6	£38,376	21.74%	-£10.17

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
H Cobden	48	13	18	£71,333	27.08%	-£19.39
Sam Twiston-Davies	51	11	24	£58,570	21.57%	£5.38
Jack Tudor	47	11	12	£60,361	23.4%	£30.31
M G Nolan	37	8	12	£46,093	21.62%	-£13.78
Freddie Gingell	28	8	9	£53,790	28.57%	-£4.03
Harry Skelton	21	8	8	£47,880	38.1%	£3.85
S Bowen	46	7	19	£35,175	15.22%	-£19.93
Brendan Powell	48	5	22	£29,355	10.42%	-£20.50
Ben Jones	24	4	8	£24,040	16.67%	-£1.75
Bryan Carver	27	4	5	£24,230	14.81%	-£20.85

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Sam Twiston-Davies	11	3	8	£8,166	27.27%	£3.75
Bryan Carver	9	3	3	£8,167	33.33%	£11.50
S Bowen	9	2	3	£6,534	22.22%	-£2.77
H Cobden	8	2	3	£5,545	25%	-£3.71
Sean Houlihan	6	2	2	£5,446	33.33%	£1.75
James Bowen	5	2	2	£5,446	40%	£0.53
Shane Fenelon	2	2	0	£6,535	100%	£1.50
J J Burke	2	2	0	£6,602	100%	£3.75
Beau Morgan	4	1	1	£2,722	25%	-£1.80
David Noonan	4	1	1	£2,723	25%	-£0.75