07:10 It has been a dry, frosty, night and it is currently sunny. The official going is Good to Firm.

Our six race card gets underway at 14:20 and we currently have no non-runners.

Our selections are:-

09:13 We now have two non-runners.

12:00 Good afternoon from Exeter, where the weather is currently sunny, in stark contrast to the corresponding meeting last year, when the course was enveloped in fog.

A six race card this afternoon and the non-runner count is now up to four – details, as always, on the right.

13:57 Our opening contest is the 2m 3f Bathwick Tyres Taunton Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, a slightly confusing race name considering we are at Exeter.

Eleven go to post  and Mamba carries 1lb overweight.

14:09 Most of the runners are now in the parade ring, no real stand outs at all.

Negatives are Shinnecock Bay, Knockvicar and Award winning, all of whom are on their toes.

14:12 I think it may be starting to rain as all the bookies are quickly putting up their brollies.

14:33 A good finish to the Exeter opener, the sun is out again by the way – it is going to be one of those afternoons.

Ghaill Force set out to make all and he held the lead until approaching the last flight, at which point Nomad wandered on by to take up the running and was never headed again, recording a 1¾ length victory.

The Fox’s Decree added to Ghaill Force’s misery by grabbing the runners-up spot on the line.

The winner was ridden patiently, held up towards the rear before making steady progress in the final three-quarters of a mile.

The runner-up was settled behind the leader before mounting his challenge turning for home.

Spring Haze shared the work up front, only to fade on the turn for home.

14:46 Race two is the 2m 7f Sam loughridge Diamond Edge Handicap Hurdle, with 12 lining up.

Both Kilvergan Boy and Shergill are huge horses – definitely future chasers on conformation.

15:06 Last time he raced Cappagh disgraced himself by ducking out and unseating his rider.

Today under champion jockey AP McCoy there were no such problems as held against the far rail the champ drove him home getting the better of Captain Becket.

McCoy had held the favourite up before making progress a mile from home.

Early pacesetter Here To Eternity had dropped out as they entered the back straight for the final time.

Leaving the back straight it looked a three horse race with Captain Becket just holding the lead from Ocean du Moulin and Cappagh stalking.

Captain Becket and Cappagh opened up a good lead running for home but McCoy always seemed to have plenty in hand, which he proved when jumping into the lead at the last.

Once in front it was race over and he came home 3¼ lengths clear.

15:14 Next up is the 3m Betfair Handicap Chase in which seven line up and two do not.

15:35 Seven runners and plenty of incident.

Strong Coffee took a crashing fall at the unlucky 13th – OK though, I have just seen him walking back.

Pauillac, once a horse with some promise, is now in the last chance saloon and he did little to help his chances this afternoon, clearly wanting to be anywhere other than Haldon Hill, soon tailed off and eventually pulled up.

Up front it was Terrible Tenant who set the pace for the early stages, eventually ceding the advantage half way down the back straight when the favourite Ballycarney hit the front.

Once in front he did not see another rival, giving three straight wins for favourite backers.

15:45 Race four is the City Of Exeter Challenge Cup Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, a 2m 1f contest with six fillies after the £2,602 first prize.

15:50 Following on from her antics in the parade ring Special Bond is now doing a rodeo show going to the start.

16:08 After three winning favourites the odds-on favourite Frosted Grape looked to be a shoe-in for the fourth contest .

There is a saying in racing, namely the horses do not know they are favourite and certainly nobody seemed to have told  Frosted Grape she was carrying so much cash.

It  started off OK as she shared the early lead with Tout Regulier. As they turned into the back straight she began to cock het jaw and Tom Scudamore had to get to work on her. She soon dropped back to third place, whist Tout Regulier in front was looking more like the odds-on shot.

Indeed the further they went the better she looked and she was well clear at the last. The official result shows her as a 4½ length winner, however it should be borne in mind she was very heavily eased on the run-in and she is value for far more than the official diatance.
Frosted Grape did plod on for second spot.

Special Bond was just as unimpressive in the race as in the preliminaries and was eventually pulled up.  

16:18 Another afternoon where the time is flying by. Our final race over obstacles is the extended 2m 1f Heavitree Brewery Handicap Chase which sees nine of them having a shot at the prize money.

16:46 A race where little of note happened early on, apart from Bollitree Bob pulling up after the first (taken back to the stables in the equine ambulance), but it all happened in the latter stages.

Folie A Deux set the pace, soon establishing a clear lead but by the time they turned for home he was beginning to engage reverse gear.

No such issues for Foreign King though, handy throughout, Jimmy Derham asked for an effort as they came down the home straight and swept into the lead approaching two out, (he also jumped hard right at the fence but did not lose any momentum) never to be headed again, coming home the easiest winner of the afternoon by nine lengths.

It was a race for fast finishers as next best was Remember Bampi, unsighted until the closing stages, along with Post It in third, the latter running in snatches.

16:51 Our final contest is the Bathwick Tyres Plymouth Standard Open NH Flat Race over 2m 1f in which only five turn up, somewhat surprising as there were over 30 five day entries.

Probably the Good To Firm going has put connections off.

Very difficult to judge these runners as most of them are rugged up.

It looks as though we have seen the end of the good weather, now a steady stream of water falling from the sky.   

17:18 What a terrible race!!

Absolutely no pace early on and a race to delight environmentalists as all five runners ran green to varying degrees throughout the contest.

What pace there was had been set by newcomer Lord Hugo, with Becks Bolero in “pursuit”.

You know what, the race was so bad it pains me to describe it.

Turning for home Dashing Patriarch made a bold dash for glory and it looked to ne a decisive move as he pulled well clear.

When looking home and hosed he inexplicably veered hard left, giving away huge amounts of ground and his rider only just managed to get him back onto the right course.

17:21 That’s it from Exeter and as the racegoers go home the sun comes out again – that just about sums up the afternoon.

That is the end of our annual foray to the West Country.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

14:20
1 Wricksons Bridge (not sound - SC 11:40)
4 A Haon A Do (lame - SC 08:42)

15:20
8 Aces Or Better (bruised foot -SC 09:50)
9 Bernard (withdrawn)

15:55
2 Saddlewood (poor blood analysis - VC 07:16)

Results

14:20 Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f

14:50 Handicap Hurdle 2m 7f 110yds

15:20 Handicap Chase 3m

15:55 Novices' Hurdle 2m 1f

16:30 Handicap Chase 2m 1f 110yds

17:05 Open NH Flat 2m 1f