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With York’s Ebor Festival due to start on Wednesday, Tuesday is a quiet day across the UK and Ireland with only three fixtures. Newton Abbot host a six-race afternoon jumping card with some competitive Class 3 and Class 4 racing.
Eleven are due to line up for the Class 4 2m2½f Heather And Jenny Joint Birthdays Celebration Maiden Hurdle (3:30) with a mixture of experience. Jamie Snowden's Climbing showed considerable improvement when switching to hurdles on his second racecourse start, finishing a close second behind The Galahad Kid at Stratford-On-Avon, despite losing a shoe. The five-year-old jumped well and appeared a straightforward ride for Gavin Sheehan, who gets the leg-up again.
Of the more experienced runners, The Geordie Ginge seemed to have progressed significantly over the winter when returning with a neck second at Stratford-on-Avon. Although he shown promise when second at Leicester in mid-November, the gelding had been well-beaten on his other three career outings. A sound surface appears to be key for the Nigel Twiston Davies-trained runner and he is expected to experience suitable ground on Tuesday.
WIN: CLIMBING
It may only have attracted five runners, but the 2m5f Class 4 Andy Hobbs Memorial Handicap Chase (4:00) appears to be a very competitive affair. Joe Tizzard's Investment Manager appeals at the prices (4/1), having recorded a succession of solid performances at this track and Exeter since April. He broke through for a comfortable three-and-a-half length victory over 3m2f when last seen in late July and the drop back in distance should not post a problem – the gelding won over 2m3f at Exeter back in April. The seven-year-old has shown improvement following a wind operation at the start of June and relishes the summer jumping ground, with both of his recent victories coming on good and good-to-soft.
WIN: INVESTMENT MANAGER
At the current prices, Elham Valley could be the one to side with in the 2m1f Class 3 Talk Tidy Marketing Handicap Hurdle (4:30). Fergal O'Brien's charge was pulled up at Cartmel on his last start after making an awkward jump with four to go and never seemed to be travelling. He'd produced two placed efforts at Southwell and Kempton prior and is a former course and distance winner. The booking of claiming jockey Daire Davis offers the six-year-old a valuable seven pound weight allowance and he could easily bounce back to form.
WIN: ELHAM VALLEY
Valentino Dancer is expected to collect a maiden chase victory in the 2m½f Class 3 newtonabbotracing.com Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (2:30), with only three rivals to contend with. A four-time winner over hurdles, the eight-year-old made a good start to his chasing career when second behind Al Zaraqaan at Southwell. He is a very solid jumper, having never fallen in a thirty-one race career and seemed comfortable over two miles. The gelding boasts good form on the ground and Fergal O'Brien's yard boasts a 20% strike rate from the last fourteen days.
WIN: VALENTINO DANCER
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – VALENTINO DANCER
RACE 2 – VISION OF HOPE
RACE 3 – CLIMBING
RACE 4 – INVESTMENT MANAGER
RACE 5 – ELHAM VALLEY
RACE 6 - LELANTOS