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	37	15	12	£112,563	40.54%	£3.25
J Tizzard	49	11	25	£84,607	22.45%	£7.25
Dan Skelton	25	8	15	£55,599	32%	-£3.50
Evan Williams	36	7	19	£37,708	19.44%	-£7.63
A J Honeyball	16	6	9	£44,826	37.5%	£7.80
P Hobbs & J White	16	5	9	£35,322	31.25%	£21.50
Mrs D A Hamer	12	5	6	£34,836	41.67%	£8.30
Mickey Bowen	11	3	7	£21,372	27.27%	-£4.66
C Honour	9	3	1	£18,298	33.33%	£7.75
Christian Williams	26	2	13	£9,585	7.69%	-£20.42

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P F Nicholls	46	14	16	£76,270	30.43%	-£6.96
Dan Skelton	42	14	13	£88,709	33.33%	£3.48
J Tizzard	65	11	29	£63,934	16.92%	-£14.42
D Pipe	49	10	15	£57,068	20.41%	£25.88
P Hobbs & J White	30	7	10	£41,856	23.33%	-£12.65
Evan Williams	45	6	15	£30,913	13.33%	-£17.54
M Blake	16	6	6	£38,907	37.5%	£15.53
A J Honeyball	39	5	19	£25,383	12.82%	-£10.50
T Lacey	13	5	6	£30,767	38.46%	£5.97
F O'Brien	30	4	18	£23,328	13.33%	-£16.90

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
P Bowen	4	3	1	£10,346	75%	£4.60
A J Honeyball	5	2	3	£5,444	40%	£6.75
Mickey Bowen	5	2	1	£5,446	40%	-£2.34
P Hobbs & J White	4	2	0	£5,446	50%	£3.75
P F Nicholls	7	1	2	£2,640	14.29%	-£5.33
Dan Skelton	4	1	2	£2,723	25%	-£2.75
Ben Clarke	3	1	2	£2,723	33.33%	£8.00
F O'Brien	3	1	1	£3,697	33.33%	£0.00
M F Harris	2	1	1	£2,905	50%	£0.75
W Greatrex	2	1	1	£2,723	50%	£2.00

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	20	8	11	£45,070	40%	£1.50
Brendan Powell	39	7	23	£53,449	17.95%	-£1.50
Freddie Gingell	25	7	11	£51,755	28%	£6.85
Sam Twiston-Davies	19	6	10	£44,826	31.58%	£4.80
James Best	20	6	8	£41,252	30%	£6.30
Adam Wedge	28	5	17	£26,652	17.86%	-£10.75
James Bowen	18	5	10	£34,522	27.78%	-£4.84
H Cobden	22	5	6	£38,376	22.73%	-£9.17
S Bowen	23	4	7	£23,797	17.39%	£1.72
Bryan Carver	15	4	6	£23,826	26.67%	£5.25

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
H Cobden	46	13	17	£71,333	28.26%	-£18.39
Sam Twiston-Davies	53	10	25	£53,587	18.87%	-£6.13
Jack Tudor	45	10	12	£55,460	22.22%	£31.13
Harry Skelton	25	9	11	£53,161	36%	£0.58
Freddie Gingell	33	8	11	£52,751	24.24%	-£10.03
M G Nolan	30	8	8	£46,093	26.67%	-£6.78
S Bowen	45	7	19	£35,910	15.56%	-£18.83
Brendan Powell	49	6	22	£34,636	12.24%	-£17.17
Bryan Carver	27	4	6	£24,230	14.81%	-£20.85
Tom Cannon	18	4	5	£28,673	22.22%	£8.00

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Sam Twiston-Davies	11	3	8	£8,084	27.27%	£4.00
S Bowen	9	2	3	£6,534	22.22%	-£2.77
Bryan Carver	8	2	3	£5,445	25%	£8.50
H Cobden	7	2	2	£5,545	28.57%	-£2.71
James Bowen	6	2	2	£5,446	33.33%	-£0.47
Sean Houlihan	6	2	1	£5,446	33.33%	£1.75
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
Harry Skelton	3	1	2	£2,723	33.33%	-£0.75