Rickety Bridge

That detail about left-handed tracks is worth paying attention to. Paul Nicholls, who trains Rickety Bridge at his powerful yard in Ditcheat, Somerset, noted back in late 2024 that the horse shapes as if he prefers going left-handed, on wet or muddy ground, and that a trip of around three miles should suit him well. Newton Abbot fits that profile, and the win this week suggests Nicholls had him figured out. When a trainer as experienced as Nicholls — whose yard has sent out 92 winners already this season — says a horse is being marked too harshly by the handicapper, it is worth listening. He felt a rating of 107 would be fair; the authorities handed the horse 117, which is a significant difference and has likely made life harder than it needed to be.

Freddie Gingell has been the regular jockey on board, riding Rickety Bridge in 5 of his 12 races together without managing a win — though that partnership now has its first victory to build on. The horse has also been pitched into some of Britain's better races, running three times at Class 2 level without winning, which suggests he has been tested at a high standard. The fact he has placed four times across his career without breaking through until now only makes this week's win feel more satisfying. At seven, he is no youngster, but horses can take time to find their best conditions — and Newton Abbot on a suitable surface may well be where Rickety Bridge does his best work.