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
J Tizzard	54	11	28	£84,607	20.37%	£2.25
P F Nicholls	31	11	11	£83,530	35.48%	-£4.68
Evan Williams	37	7	20	£37,708	18.92%	-£8.63
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
Dan Skelton	18	5	11	£39,756	27.78%	£0.25
P Hobbs & J White	17	4	10	£22,120	23.53%	£16.00
C Honour	10	4	1	£23,130	40%	£47.75
J W Mullins	16	3	5	£20,067	18.75%	-£6.00
R L Llewellyn	12	3	4	£18,224	25%	£11.00

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P F Nicholls	41	13	15	£70,824	31.71%	-£3.16
Dan Skelton	36	11	10	£73,658	30.56%	£2.75
J Tizzard	59	10	24	£59,692	16.95%	-£10.75
D Pipe	50	10	15	£56,688	20%	£22.81
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%	-£5.50
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	41	7	24	£53,449	17.07%	-£3.50
Sam Twiston-Davies	19	6	9	£44,826	31.58%	£4.80
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
S Bowen	24	5	8	£37,412	20.83%	£3.72
Harry Skelton	13	5	7	£29,227	38.46%	£3.25
H Cobden	22	5	6	£38,376	22.73%	-£9.17
James Bowen	14	5	6	£34,522	35.71%	-£0.84
Freddie Gingell	21	4	11	£31,158	19.05%	-£2.25

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
H Cobden	47	13	18	£71,333	27.66%	-£18.39
Sam Twiston-Davies	50	11	23	£58,570	22%	£6.38
Jack Tudor	47	11	12	£60,361	23.4%	£30.31
M G Nolan	37	8	12	£46,093	21.62%	-£13.78
S Bowen	46	7	19	£35,175	15.22%	-£18.93
Freddie Gingell	25	7	7	£48,344	28%	-£2.23
Harry Skelton	19	6	8	£38,110	31.58%	£0.85
Brendan Powell	47	5	22	£29,355	10.64%	-£19.50
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
J J Burke	2	2	0	£6,602	100%	£3.75
Shane Fenelon	2	2	0	£6,535	100%	£1.50
Beau Morgan	4	1	1	£2,722	25%	-£1.80
David Noonan	4	1	1	£2,723	25%	-£0.75