Newton Abbot
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Sky Sports Racing Handicap Hurdle
Starts in
Awaiting result
Turf track
All Runners — sorted by TrackLab Score
TrackLab Insight
The market has made him favourite, and that's entirely down to his trainer and jockey, who are both among the most in-form in the sport right now — winning roughly one in three races between them over the last two weeks. The horse itself, though, is deeply out of form: beaten well over 40 lengths last time and finishing in the bottom half of the field in all six recent races, with zero wins on today's type of ground.
Jockey in best form (5 from 12 last 2wk)
Trainer in best form (6 from 15 last 2wk)
Market favourite (3.9)
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
The only horse in this field to have won at Newton Abbot, and he did it just three weeks ago over this exact course and distance — making all and never looking in danger. That win came after two poor efforts, so he can be in-and-out, and his odds drifting sharply from where they opened suggests the market has cooled on him. Still, he's the one who knows this track best and arrives in form, which makes him hard to ignore.
Only course winner (1 from 6 here)
Trainer Quotes
Nov 2024
"He just seems to love it at Exeter. We could back over fences soon but he was third the other day and that was a good run, so we'll probably pick and choose with him. The handicapper has had his say with him though. 07-11-24"
TrackLab Insight
Arguably the most consistent horse in the field right now — placed in all six of his most recent races, including two runner-up finishes in the last month. The catch is that he has never won at Newton Abbot in six attempts, and converting those placed efforts into a win has been the story of his career so far.
Placed in 2 of last 3 races
TrackLab Insight
The best career win rate in the field — winning roughly one in every five races — and crucially he has the best record in the field on today's slightly soft conditions, winning three times from eight races on similar ground. He was well beaten last time out, but before that he won at Hereford, and at seven he's younger than most of his rivals here.
Best record on this ground (3 from 8)
Best career win rate in field (1 in 5)
Trainer Quotes
Mar 2023
"He's brilliantly named as Despereaux is a speedy little mouse and this horse is not very big to say the least. But what he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and effort. After running out on his debut in October, he won his first completed start at Huntingdon in November. I then ran him in the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon, where he would have been second but for jumping the last a bit long and then veering right. The runner-up won afterwards, making the form look very decent, and it was no surprise when Despereaux won again in a junior hurdle at Taunton on Monday. Due to his size, he looks more of a hurdler than a chaser and is clearly above average. 15-03-23"
TrackLab Insight
Second-highest rated horse in the field on paper, but the form behind that number is hard to trust right now — beaten 24 lengths at Plumpton last time, and he hasn't won in nearly two years. The jockey and trainer combination has failed to win in seven attempts together, and today's slightly soft ground is ground on which he has never won.
2nd highest rated (OR 106)
Trainer Quotes
Nov 2023
"He was a bit light when he first arrived from Ireland so we gave him plenty of time and he showed the benefit of that when running a lovely race on his debut over hurdles at Fontwell. He didn't have to improve much to win at Hereford, which he did comfortably, and 112 is a tempting mark to go and run him in a handicap now. Ultimately I think he'd prefer a bit more cut in the ground and he'll jump a fence in time. 22-11-23"
TrackLab Insight
He won last time out, which is a decent enough springboard, but that was 178 days ago — the longest absence of any horse in this field — and he's never shown anything on ground like today's, with zero wins from five races on similar conditions. A six-month break is a big question mark, however good the trainer thinks he is.
Absent 178 days (longest in field)
TrackLab Insight
The least experienced horse in the field with just seven career races, and still searching for a first win from all of them. He has been finishing eighth, fifth, and seventh in recent outings, which doesn't suggest a big run is building — and the jockey-trainer pairing has only landed one winner together from 17 attempts.
Relatively inexperienced (7 career races)
TrackLab Insight
Carries the lowest weight in the field and is rated 5lbs below the field average, which reflects where the handicapper thinks he sits right now — and recent form backs that up, with a pulled up and a distant seventh in his last two outings. He has never won on soft or wet ground, and today's conditions look squarely against him.
Lowest rated, 5lbs below average
Carries lowest weight in field
TrackLab Insight
Three career wins from 20 races suggests this horse is capable, but the recent form is worrying — beaten over 34 lengths in each of the last two completed races. The jockey-trainer partnership has yet to win together in five attempts, and the odds drifting out to 23s tells you the market doesn't fancy a turnaround today.
One of the more successful in the field (3 career wins)
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The first number is what you win, the second is what you bet. So 5/2 means you win £5 for every £2. 4/1 means you win £4 for every £1. The bigger the first number, the less likely bookmakers think the horse will win — but the more you'd win if it does.
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