The main Grandstand viewed from the first bend
This was my fourth visit to Newton Abbott. The first time was in 1989 around the Easter bank holiday. Clearly the heavy ground would cut up on Saturday of my visit and the real money spinner was the bank holiday Monday fixture. I was amazed when the meeting was called off early that morning, sceptical as to why when having walked around part of the track it appeared very soft but not waterlogged. The cloud lifted from my naïve view when racing resumed a couple of days later. Newton Abbott must be twinned with Tralee as the going would have been described as decent jumping ground in Kerry as a mark of balance in the crazy world of going declaration. My third visit was in 2009 and then the ground was described as soft when in fact to my eye it was on the fast side of good. The second time I visited Newton Abbott was to go greyhound racing in 1991, more of that later. The tricky nature of finding value today meant that in all four visits I have yet to have a bet here.
The trip down the M5 is pretty tame until you cross the River Avon just to the west of Bristol. The Avonmouth port has a huge area for stocking cars and vans. Generally when I pass you can it about half full. Today it looked absolutely chocker. A sure sign that the recession in the car industry is a long way from reaching bottom. From here you begin the journey into the South-West. The scenery is relaxing and the route to the track is along the A38 from Exeter towards Torquay. In fact you pass Devon and Exeter racecourse about eight miles away which is known as Haldon locally. Signposts to Newton Abbott direct you to then follow the A380. The track is to the south of the town and is near a small industrial estate. One description of the track as nestling between this trading area and the main London to Penzance high speed railway would conjure up a negative image. This is very unfair as the track lies in a small flat plain with the town of Newton Abbott and two villages guarding the track to the east, north and west on three hilltops. It is as a consequence in a very picturesque position best viewed from the back straight. There has not been much investment in the track since I was last here except for what looked like exstensive improvement in the dranage. Probably to ensure good to soft ground in the hight of summer! The stands are adequate and provide a decent view despite their age and cannot be described as dilapidated. The track is left handed and square in shape having tightish bends. It is perfectly flat and is a fairly easy test. The fences are nicely scoped and pretty easy to jump. The going today was good to firm and to be fair despite the decent very dry spell there was enough juice in it to prevent jarr and the good covering of grass maintained the watering for the meeting. Well done the groundstaff.
Entrance to the centre of the track allowing access to the silver ring with parking for a car was a pit pricey £14 which was £4 up on my last visit. The racecard was the by now average £2.50 but the information inside was moderate and I have seen better in the recent meetings attended. There was no large television which would have helped racegoers in the stand but as I was wandering around the infield didn’t provide much of a negative. I assume that the fact that the track is the most south-westerly in Great Britain acts as a disincentive to haul it all the way down. Still, no TV counts as a detraction on the day nonetheless.
In terms of food my 2009 visit was a real eyeopener. I can best describe it as imagining the standard of catering at a transfer station for illegals where repeat trade is not part of the business plan and the customers are grateful for any morsel. Then think that the canteen was being run by BNP’s most hardened case. Compound the fact that the head chef is also employed by the rival trader and is hell-bent on destroying the business. That is what passed for food at Newton Abbott. The menu read like the famous spam sketch. The vegeburgers were ‘off’, the bacon rolls were off. I negotiated chips (10% technically raw) and a cup of coffee (10% residue reminiscent of early stage mudstone) for £3.20. Apart from that it was ok! The promise of food in the covered area in the Silver Ring did not materialise. Perhaps the free-marketeers are right when they claim that standards are highest where competition is fiercest. However I have visited a Warsaw Pact oil transfer station’s snap-bar north of Prague and I have to tell you it was a different league to most and would literally shame efforts experienced this afternoon in Devon. I was not happy then but I have to say things looked much improved today with a fair permanent cafe offering pasties and usual fare. Whilst there was a pork roll BBQ which was tasty at a bit on the expensive side £4. However at least it was decent quality.
I was very disappointed to learn that the old greyhound flapping track had been turned into an indoor bowling alley which is now what looks lke a leisure / fitness centre could winners. I went flapping here in the 1980s and in those days if you were licensed under the old NGRC you could have it removed if attending flapping or independent tracks. Of course most people in the game woudl go flapping and some trainers particularly in the north and west where the independents were strong raced under both rules to keep the books in order. Down here there in devon there were also tracks in the north at Bideford and also around the Exeter rugby ground. The best track for layout and condition was the Newtoon Abbott surface. On the day in question we went racing were noticed in the bar some friends who trained at Portsmouth who were originally from Cornwall. There was a bit af tension as we did not expect to see poeple from our track so far from home as you were never completely sure if the others would let the cat out the bag.
One time indoor bowls centre the old flapping track is a gym now unfortunately
When the firm I worked for merged with English China Clay in 1997 it opened up a new geographic arena for me. I had a brief experience in 1993 when a quarry in the middle of nowhere and known as Devon Quarry was assigned to me. It was called Devon Quarry as being the first major industrial lime burning in the region. Commercially it was a complete basket case, operationally it was deadly and technically we were on a hiding to nothing with the local engineers. The reason for it being a lime working was because it was so soft. Being so soft meant it was useless for building. The old pit floor was allowed to flood after a disaster around the time of the First World War and was probably cursed as a consequence. To make matters worse we were a mob of northerners and the Devonians seems to trust even cockneys more than northerners. We couldn’t make the quarry profitable and had to close it. When we warned of the likelihood there were prayers said in church beseeching the almighty to intercede as the anti-Christ, or at the very least his scouts, where present and active on the edge of Dartmoor. It was a bizarre experience. I remember being in the quarry weighbridge when a Yorkshire wagon driver popped in to ask for directions. He asked the foreman ‘ Do you know where Cheriton is please?’, the foreman said ‘Yes I do thanks’ thirty seconds break ‘Oh you want to know where it is then.’ We should have known this was going to be bother when we took over and found the Londoner in charge had booted out the local hunt from access despite it being local customer to allow the landed gentry to go just about anywhere they like. As the HSBC ad goes local knowledge is vital to conducting trade.
Horses of note today
I was negative about the winner of the opening mares novice hurdle over two miles six furlong Miss Tenacious. Although on the face of it she is open to improvement as a four year old I didn't think she was that fluent and was a bit dosey over the final two hurdles. I think her handicap mark will be elevated making anything other than novice events outside her scope and penalties will be hard to shoulder given this second win. On the other hand I thought the hurdling debutante Caravan Queen who finished trhird was very promising and am positive about her ability to win soon. She jumped well looking like she will be even better suited to fences. She plugged on at one pace possibly needing the run although could be better placed over three miles. Of the rest I thought Our Guardian Angel looked a genuine sort battling on for second place.
Caravan Queen on the way to post for her encouraging debut over hurdles
The first two home in the beginners chase over two and a half miles look above average. The winner was Vico who jumped nively and seemed to benefit from first time cheekpieces. I think he can step up to handicapping. The runner up Karasenir was in contention throughout and given that this was his first chase experience jumped reasonably well. Held every chance until overhauled approaching the home straight by a more accomplished and experienced rival. However has plenty of talent, has raced and done well in good quality hurdles being rated over 130 at one time, so if progresses even slightly on today's effort will not stay a novice for long.
Vico comes to join issue with Karasenir 5 out as the pair pull clear
There was a big field of seventeen for the class 5 handicap hurdle over two mile six. Of the runners. Safe Investment was heavily backed from 7/2 to 9/4 and won well on return to hurdles and with tongue strap reapplied. This did the trick. However I think he is likely to be handicapped out of contention and is a bit of negative.
Carahue Princess in light blue and yellow close up tracked by the yellow and black of Chapel House who eventually finished third
The class 3 handicap chase over three m,iles two furlongs was the feature race of the day and attracted a srong field with no less than three from the nearby Hobbs Minehead facility. They were rewarded with having the first two home. The winner was very well ridden by the amnatuer rider J A Best who has struck up a good partnership with Estates Recovery. leading early and jumping very well the six year old won with any amount in hand and should be respected. The second home was The Templer who has been noted positively before by The Blog. He is a thoroughly game and consistant sort who stays even further than this is given the chance. Not that badly handicapped and could well win even though on the face of it he is exposed as is a ten year old. Chiaro finished fourth and although far from fluent did run well and looks like he needs a touch shorter. Of the remainder keep an eye out for Troy Tempest who I have as a positive. Held up and making a bit of progress before jockey realised the leader wasn't stopping and as such quite sensibly eased down to my eye. I think he will win soon as this was a much better run than the bare form figures show. Likewise Earth dream's run is best forgot as is a significantly better horse onsofter ground.
Second fence in and already the yellow and red of Estates Recovery is to the fore
Halfway and thereis clear daylight
Over the second last and clear Estates Recovery has the feature chase in the bag
The top hurdle was a class 4 handicap over two mile one and was won in good style by forntrunning top weight Dereks who hurdled tidily. Of the rest I was very encouraged by the run of second home Tamerillo Grove who I have a positive going forward. Was beginning to make some progress into the straight when the saddle appeared to slip and as such was eased down and coupled with a bit of overweight by the jockey I am sure he would have gone close today. As handicap mark has also dropped to 87 from91 there are plenty of positives to consider this a decent bet next run given no excessive reassessment by the handicapper as is not entered in the foreseeable future. American Art was well backed again but as with amny of his efforts over hurdles he was less than fluent and soon beaten. I think he will struggle to win in handicap company and his only hope from what I can see is if dropped even further to the seller / claimer territory. As such I ahve him down as a negative.
Rushwee who went on to finish third on his way to post
Halfway and Dereks has asserted going on from long time leader Halling Gal
The final chase was a fairly low key affair with the first time well clear of the remainder who looked useless to be honest. The winner was the aptly named given recent political chunterings in the press as Benefit Game who did enough but was not entirely fluent winning from a course specialist who looks a bit under the handicappers thumb at the moment Lord Lescribaa.
Milling around beforehand Lord Lescribaa is in the green and blue
Closing off maiden hurdle was won under a bit of driving but pretty easily by Sagredo who was made a strong odds on favourite mainly on the basis of the utter hopelessness of the opposition rather than any ember of real talent. Has been well exposed in the past and I would imagine the hadicapper will at elast raise him to his previous 115 mark for this run. This will be too much in my mind and I doubt very much that he has the ability to shoulder a penalty against other novices. Therefore and on the basis that will be short priced in the main he makes good lay territory and is a negative.
How did they do next three runs?
Miss Tanacious (N)
still not out again abd remains a begative
Caravan Queen (P)
0
Poor return but still a positive
Vico (P)
3
Fair run when a bit unlucky nect run. Continues as a positive
Karasenir (P) up £14
1 5/6 1 4/9
Nice double in novices. 130 OR too much for handicapping and as that is his likely route now I have binned him
Troy Tempest (P) down £10
F
Fatal fall I am afraid
Temerillo Grove (P) up £55
3 3 1 15/2
Was improving nicely and then slotted in but the handicap mark goes up 13lbs and I have binned him now
Art American (N) up £10
0
My summary was needed to drop to claimer / seller to have any chance and is a lay in higher grade. Layed next run but then sellers and had form figures of 21111. He then went up in grade and was beaten. I exited once he had begun his plating career... luckily
Sagredo (N)
0 0
Well beaten down to 7lbs off winning mark now but is still a lay
