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	Breaking Cover (Good to Firm)	27 Aug 2026	3m 48.3s
2m 4f 216y	Time To Bite (Good)	20 May 2024	5m 3.47s
3m 2f	Muskerry Rock (Good to Firm-Good in places)	13 Jul 2026	6m 24.54s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 167y	Daany (Good)	31 Aug 2024	3m 50.28s
2m 2f 110y	Son Of Hypnos (Good to Firm)	22 Aug 2026	4m 15.15s
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	42	17	14	£123,389	40.48%	£7.25
Dan Skelton	30	10	18	£67,217	33.33%	-£4.00
J Tizzard	43	8	21	£60,753	18.6%	-£5.75
A J Honeyball	18	8	9	£64,813	44.44%	£12.33
Mrs D A Hamer	11	5	5	£34,836	45.45%	£9.30
Evan Williams	31	4	18	£21,124	12.9%	-£17.25
Christian Williams	26	3	11	£14,602	11.54%	-£15.92
P Hobbs & J White	13	3	8	£24,539	23.08%	-£2.00
Mickey Bowen	12	3	7	£21,372	25%	-£5.66
R L Llewellyn	12	3	3	£19,883	25%	£2.63

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Dan Skelton	53	17	18	£103,760	32.08%	-£4.34
P F Nicholls	47	14	17	£76,650	29.79%	-£7.71
J Tizzard	59	11	27	£64,232	18.64%	-£19.17
D Pipe	45	11	14	£73,481	24.44%	£34.00
A J Honeyball	44	5	21	£25,383	11.36%	-£15.50
Evan Williams	40	5	14	£25,957	12.5%	-£16.88
T Lacey	10	5	3	£24,108	50%	£3.35
F O'Brien	27	4	16	£22,074	14.81%	-£13.77
P Hobbs & J White	22	4	9	£27,479	18.18%	-£13.90
M Blake	13	4	5	£29,732	30.77%	£11.53

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Mickey Bowen	5	2	1	£5,446	40%	-£2.34
P Hobbs & J White	4	2	0	£5,446	50%	£3.75
P Bowen	2	2	0	£7,624	100%	£4.88
A J Honeyball	4	1	3	£2,722	25%	£4.00
Dan Skelton	4	1	3	£2,723	25%	-£2.75
P F Nicholls	7	1	2	£2,640	14.29%	-£5.33
Ben Clarke	3	1	2	£2,723	33.33%	£8.00
Chester Williams	2	1	1	£2,905	50%	£0.63
W Greatrex	2	1	1	£2,723	50%	£2.00
D J S Ffrench Davis	2	1	1	£2,723	50%	£5.50

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
Harry Skelton	25	10	14	£56,688	40%	£1.00
Freddie Gingell	26	8	11	£57,564	30.77%	£10.85
Sam Twiston-Davies	19	7	9	£51,611	36.84%	£7.33
James Best	20	6	8	£41,252	30%	£5.30
James Bowen	20	5	12	£34,522	25%	-£6.84
H Cobden	18	5	6	£38,376	27.78%	-£5.17
Brendan Powell	34	4	19	£29,595	11.76%	-£15.50
Adam Wedge	23	4	14	£21,124	17.39%	-£9.25
Bryan Carver	12	4	3	£23,826	33.33%	£8.25
Jay Tidball	6	4	1	£39,608	66.67%	£4.41

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Harry Skelton	36	12	16	£68,212	33.33%	-£3.24
H Cobden	37	11	13	£58,643	29.73%	-£7.01
Jack Tudor	44	10	11	£56,030	22.73%	£34.00
Sam Twiston-Davies	50	9	23	£47,052	18%	-£5.50
Freddie Gingell	31	9	9	£58,032	29.03%	-£6.12
S Bowen	45	7	19	£35,910	15.56%	-£19.83
Brendan Powell	48	6	24	£34,934	12.5%	-£25.92
M G Nolan	20	5	6	£31,716	25%	-£6.03
Callum Pritchard	30	4	14	£17,164	13.33%	-£9.63
Bryan Carver	32	4	11	£24,230	12.5%	-£26.85

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Sam Twiston-Davies	10	2	7	£5,362	20%	£1.25
Bryan Carver	8	2	3	£5,445	25%	£8.50
James Bowen	6	2	2	£5,446	33.33%	-£0.47
Sean Houlihan	7	2	1	£5,446	28.57%	£0.75
H Cobden	6	2	1	£5,545	33.33%	-£1.71
Shane Fenelon	2	2	0	£6,535	100%	£1.50
J J Burke	2	2	0	£6,602	100%	£3.75
David Noonan	7	1	3	£2,723	14.29%	-£3.75
S Bowen	7	1	3	£3,812	14.29%	-£2.50
Harry Skelton	4	1	3	£2,723	25%	-£1.75