At The Races expert Tom Chilman has picked out five runners worth noting at Newton Abbot on Wednesday, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
1.55 – SCARLETT CLIPPER
Carrigeen Kampala will likely have her supporters as a previous course bumper winner who scored at the second time of asking over hurdles at Stratford last month, and rightfully so, but she may struggle to give weight away here to a few similarly claimed-off mares, with stablemate and debutante Scarlett Clipper topping that list.
A £15,000 purchase as a three-year-old, this daughter of Milan finally looks set to make a belated racecourse debut, having originally been pencilled in to appear in the autumn/winter 2021, and it’s interesting that connections have opted to head straight over hurdles with their six-year-old and are happy to pitch her against her more-established stablemate here.
Being a half-sister to previously 157-rated chaser Simply The Betts and 134-rated hurdler Crimson Ark, she’s bred to be fairly useful, and the application of a hood would suggest that the stable mean business in what looks to be a winnable mares’ novice contest.
2.30 – TREVADA
Oliver Sherwood has saddled four winners, a second and two thirds from his last seven runners, and the Upper Lambourn trainer sends just the one to Newton Abbot on Wednesday in the shape of Trevada.
The Kayf Tara gelding won his second bumper start at Plumpton back in March 2021, then trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, and recently returned to Sussex track for the first time since that sole success for his chasing debut.
Held up in rear for the majority of the two-mile-and-three-furlong contest, the seven-year-old made steady headway after three-out to close on the leading pair before chasing Small Bad Bob all the way to the line, eventually finishing just over a length down in second.
The winner only narrowly failed to follow up over hurdles at Fontwell four days later, so the form looks to have some substance to it, and this significant step up in trip will likely bring about further improvement from Sherwood’s charge as he bids to go one better.
3.30 – SWAPPED
Not entirely unusual given the time of the year but Swapped represents Seven Barrows’ only chance of a winner on the card, and Nico de Boinville heads here to ride the six-year-old over a seemingly better opportunity at Warwick.
The jockey was also in the plate at Huntingdon earlier this month to partner the Speelman’s gelding on handicap debut, with the combination sent off the 9/4 favourites to oblige in a Class 4 hurdle.
In what was a first start following wind surgery, the well-supported favourite was having to be asked questions by De Boinville a fair way from home and some sloppy jumps inside the final circuit made a competitive finish almost impossible.
As a result, attentions have now been switched to chasing and the plus side of that disappointing sixth-place finish is a valuable 3lb back from the handicapper for a first try at fences.
If the addition of first-time cheekpieces has the desired effect, he could prove an entirely different proposition.
Swapped (near) during a schooling session at Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows yard
4.00 – KAPITALISTE
This looks to be a particularly tricky Class 4 handicap, with connections of all seven runners likely fancying their chances – not least of all those of recent Ffos Las scorer Sherborne – but given his position at the foot of the weights and overall course record, a chance is taken on recent Worcester runner-up Kapitaliste.
Alexandra Dunn’s seven-year-old recorded back-to-back victories at Newton Abbot before two more respectable thirds at the Devonshire track this time last year and arrives here after a promising effort two weeks ago when chasing home a surprise 50/1 winner.
A further 1lb back from the handicapper for that run seems fair and there’s every chance this consistent type can add to his already impressive course tally, assuming he’s fit and raring to go following a somewhat-quick turnaround. Of the remainder, returning course-and-distance winner Maroochi could prove the biggest danger if able to stay on all fours.
5.03 – CHARLIE MY BOY
Keiran Burke’s recent acquisition has gone close to scoring on both starts for his new yard, going down by a little over a length to a long odds-on shot of Paul Nicholls at Wincanton in March before finishing the same distance behind another well-fancied runner at Fontwell earlier this month.
That latest effort saw the six-year-old grey pull nicely clear of the rest of the field, so a 5lb rise seems fair enough on the face of it.
It’s often handy to race prominently in big-field hurdle races at Newton Abbot, with the short run-in likely to seem even shorter on Wednesday’s forecast quick ground, and this two-mile-and-two-and-a-half-furlong novice handicap shapes well from a pace perspective for new pilot Harry Kimber, who offsets 3lb of that 5lb rise with his claim.
Assuming the partnership can travel in the first quarter of this 14-runner field at the very least, it could be case of third time lucky for connections.
Watch every race from Newton Abbot live on Sky Sports Racing on Wednesday May 31.