Racecards
20:10 Newton Abbot
Western Morning News Original Handicap Hunters' Chase (Class 4)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Form 30B/U35-
- Age 11
- Weight 12-7
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Mr P T Hemmings
held up behind, good headway approaching 11th, close 4th when pecked, unseated rider 12th
- Form 11182-3
- Age 10
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer Michael Hawker
- Jockey Mr M Wall
held up, slightly hampered bend approaching 4th, headway 12th, ridden in 3rd after 4 out, weakened approaching last
- Form 81/P2P-1
- Age 11
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer John Rowsell
- Jockey Mr R Bandey
tracked leaders, led, hit 4 out, ridden, narrowly headed approaching last, kept on
- Form F3264-4
- Age 7
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey Mr R P Flint
mid-division, headway 10th, challenged after 4 out, led approaching last, ridden out
- Form 11P614-
- Age 10
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer Mrs Mandy Hand
- Jockey Mr D R Cook
prominent, led 11th, headed approaching 4 out, weakened approaching 3 out
- Form 34424-2
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer S Flook
- Jockey Miss C Allen
held up, hampered bend approaching 4th, reminders after 7th, never dangerous
- Form 437512-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer L Jefford
- Jockey Ian Popham
chased leaders until 8th, weakened approaching 4 out
- Form 22PP3-2
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 79
- Trainer Simon Jones
- Jockey Donal Devereux
mid-division, not much room 5th, weakened 12th
- Form 76/5195-
- Age 13
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 78
- Trainer R I Webb-bowen
- Jockey B J Toomey
led until 11th, weakening when hit 4 out, tailed off
In depth
Verdict
Provided that the ground doesn't get too quick for him, Armaturk is probably capable of defying top weight over this trip in which only two of them are in the handicap, while Twenty Degrees and Red Man look best of the rest. Paul Nicholls loves having winners here and Armaturk already has a win to his name over this trip, even though he has been more successful over shorter. However, this lot don't look anything like quick enough to draw any major stamina doubts from him and with a clear round he should win. Twenty Degrees is the only other runner set to carry the correct weight here and he will definitely stay and also act on the ground, whatever the description, so if you are looking to take on the likely favourite then he looks the strongest in opposition, though he has now got plenty of weight for what he has achieved. Red Man made his return to rules a winning one when scoring over slightly shorter at Hereford last time and now tries to defy a career high mark from 3lb out of the handicap, so he will do well to follow up. Trip and ground will suit Seafield Bogie, but he is not one to get too excited about, and with the others having lots to find then we'll side with Armaturk tonight.
Formwatch
Armaturk (FR) 2-5fav (11-9) Close up, ridden 4 out, one pace from 2 out, 5th of 15, 16l behind Only Dreams (11-9) at Leicester 2m hts chs (5) gd in Mar.
Twenty Degrees 5-2 (11-12) Held up in touch, headway 5th, chased leader 4 out, ridden approaching next, one pace, 3rd of 9, 28l behind Alvino (11-12) at Ludlow 2m 4f hts chs (5) gd in Apr.
Red Man (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) Held up in touch, blundered badly 4 out, led after 2 out, stayed on well flat, won at Hereford 2m 3f hts chs (6) gd beating De Luain Gorm (11-11) by 7l, 14 ran.
Seafield Bogie (IRE) 10-1 (12-0) Mid-division, headway 11th, chased winner 13th, weakened 2 out, 4th of 16, 21l behind Jurado Express (11-11) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hts chs (4) gd.
Dante's Back (IRE) 9-4 (11-0) In tch til wknd 4 out, 4th of 5, 18l behind Kingsmill Lake (10-7) at Flete Park 3m ptp gd in Apr.
Howard Howard 5-2 (11-0) Hdwy 7; went 2nd aft 13; one pce 2 out, 2nd of 6, 11l behind Lady Myfanwy (10-7) at Cold Harbour 3m ptp gd.
Doof (IRE) 4-5fav (12-7) Led til hdd & wknd app 2 out, last of 2, 6l behind Stone Valley (12-0) at Trebudannon 3m 4f ptp sft in Mar.
Fruitfull Citizen (IRE) 8-1 (10-10) In touch, led 9th, headed after 11th, soon ridden, kept on, no chance with winner from 3 out, 2nd of 13, 13l behind Milesian King (11-3) at Exeter 2m 3f hts chs (5) gf.
Deep King (IRE) 14-1 (10-4) Led 1st, headed 4th, led again 5th, headed approaching 7th, weakened approaching last, 5th of 7, 20l behind Twist Bookie (11-10) at Stratford 2m 1f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf in Oct.