9:05 In a sad postscript to the last race, it is sad to relate that Voir Dire did not survive the incident on the home bend.
8:50 Like a London bus you wait for an exciting finish then two come at once. The final race produced another dual, this time between Idian Mix and Forest Green – both coming from way back when the front running tactics of Josear failed.
In the end it was the 12/1 shot Idian Mix who got the better of the joint favourite Forest Green.
The other joint favourite Estate run an abysmal race finishing nearer last than first.
The race was marred by an horrific incident on the home turn when Voir Dire went crashing through the running rail.
8:20 Hunter Chases have usually been considered amateur events. However ion recent years there have been rumblings as some top trainers have sent some of their top rules runners hunting so they can qualify for Hunters’ Chases.
One such example is the former classy runner Armaturk, from the all conquering Paul Nicholls stables.
Surprisingly he was only sent off at 9/2 with Red Man and Seafield Bogie sent off the 3/1 joint favourites – both incidentally “traditional” hunters.
Armaturk was settled behind for the first half of the race and started making menacing progress on the final circuit, eventually reaching fourth place before unseating his rider at the 12th.
At the business end it was the punters who got it right as the two joint favourites battled it out over the final ¾ of a mile. The outcome only decided after the last when Seafield Bogie pulled out just that little bit extra to win by ½ length.
Certainly the most exciting finish of the evening.
7:50 This does become rather repetitive with all the reports I write but yet another front runner biting the dust.
This time it was the well backed favourite Oakfield Legend under Christian Williams made the running for the first circuit and a bit, closely attended by Nils Anderson from the Robert and Sue Alner yard.
On the final circuit Robert Walford decided he had seen enough of the favourites rear and made a decisive move, with which Oakfield Legend could not live.
Thumbprint emerged from the pack to be the nerest challenger but he could only finish 7 lengths behind.
More eye catching was the third placed runner Madam Vouvray, trained by Brendan Powell who was running on eye catchingly at the end.
7:15 Of course there are times when front running tactics do work – then again when you are the 1/5 favourite like Poquelin you can run the race almost any way you want to and still win.
To say the victory was facile would come under the “stating the bleeding obvious” category. In truth he won as a short odds on favourite should do. Even more so when you are from the Paul Nicholls stable with Ruby Walsh on board.
Second in the betting was Wheelavit, under Tony McCoy was disappointing and was pulled up.
All in all a disappointing race which was never going to be a contest.
6:45 There is no such thing as a certainty in racing, however some events come pretty close.
One such example is where two horses go off at a fast pace leaving the field standing – then they will tire and get beaten.
It must be even more worrying when one of the horses in question is the very short priced favourite, Rapscallion. Who along with One Nation set such a pace.
Kosciusko on the other hand was an almost tailed off last as they turned out of the back straight for the first time.
The brighter amongst you will probably guess what happens next.
Yep Kosciusko passed the entire field to take the honours beating the favourite by 4½ lengths. – much to the annoyance of the favourite backers.
There were no bids for the winner in the subsequent auction.
6:15 A very lucky winner of the first as Trinity Rose looked all the winner before falling at the last leaving the favourite Caoba free to score a very lucky victory.
Aimigayle who had opened favourite set the pace but tied up very quickly coming round the final bend, where both Caoba and Trinity Rose made their challenges.
It was after the second last that Trinity Rose took the lead but she crumpled on landing.
5:05 Good evening from a very warm and sunny Newton Abbot - I say warm because there is also a nice cooling breeze, which is most welcome.
First of all some going news, the official going is now Good to Firm (it was good).
So far we have three non-runners – details on the right.