October 21 / 16.15 Newton Abbot

16.15

Soft

Joe Atkinson Celebrating Happy Retirement Day Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5527.68
  • 2m 5f 122y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
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Joe Atkinson Celebrating Happy Retirement Day Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

7/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 60751-

Last run: 177 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Had wind surgery prior to opening her hurdles account in Taunton handicap (3m, soft) when last seen six months ago; may build on that success; now upped in grade but is compensated by running off a very low weight; one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

9

29th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 4

16:25 Taunton

Little Else

11st 0lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Jeremy Scott

Won consecutive handicaps in 2023, over C&D (soft) and 2m5f (heavy), and didn't look done with from a handicapping viewpoint when fourth at Newbury in January (3m, soft); likely contender down in grade.

12/1

4th

16

23rd Jan 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 4

15:10 Newbury

Little Else

10st 4lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Jeremy Scott

Seemingly all the better for wind surgery when winning 3m/2m5f (soft/heavy) handicaps by neck margins; got edged out by an exposed mare at Exeter (2m5f, good to soft) since but returning to further should benefit her; she's not without hope.

14/1

10/1

  • Place: £2.90

Form: /1123- D

Last run: 453 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Record of 3-6 since switched to fences and appears well treated off this lower hurdle mark if proving as good back in this sphere; only 1-11 as a hurdler and lacks recent match practice (absent for 15 months) but market confidence should be noted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

5th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

16:18 Ffos Las

Balkardy

10st 13lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Mrs C Williams

Multiple winner but hasn't become easy to predict and followed two modest runs over hurdles with a pull-up on his return to fences at Ludlow; others safer.

20/1

3

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 4

16:22 Ffos Las

Balkardy

12st 0lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Found Class 2 race at Newton Abbot slightly too hot last time but is now only 2lb higher than when winning here (2m4f, good to soft) in June, and today's longer trip probably suits him better; one to consider.

11/2

Form: 11 CD

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Two from two in Britain, recording both wins at this course (2m2f/2m5f, good/heavy); took well to first-time cheekpieces on latest occasion; allotted a very handy opening mark judged on his German Flat form and looks open to further improvement under this code; strongly respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

28th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 3

17:05 Newbury

Wonderful Eagle

11st 4lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

took keen hold, towards rear

5/1

3rd

10

13th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 2

15:35 Cheltenham

Wonderful Eagle

10st 2lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

held up in midfield, headway and disputing second when mistake and lost ground last, rallied run-in, went fourth towards finish

12/1

3rd

10

13th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 2

15:35 Cheltenham

Wonderful Eagle

10st 2lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

held up in midfield, headway and disputing second when mistake and lost ground last, rallied run-in, went fourth towards finish

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 51/

Last run: 597 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Absent since his 6l novice success at Taunton (2m3f, soft) in March 2022 when having only his second run for Paul Nicholls; has low mileage and could well progress further; interesting on return to action, especially if strong in the betting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

14th May 2026

Good

1m 6f 44y

Class 3

14:40 Salisbury

Individualiste

8st 5lb

J: Olivia Tubb

T: Ben Lund

Winner over hurdles for Paul Nicholls and fences for Gavin Cromwell but pulled up at big prices in both hurdle starts for this yard; visor deployed on his belated handicap debut in this sphere.

50/1

6

5th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

19:17 Hereford

Individualiste

11st 2lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Ben Lund

Lost his way over fences in Ireland and showed no signs of an immediate revival when pulled up reverting to hurdles on stable debut in March; too much to prove at present.

25/1

9

28th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

16:20 Uttoxeter

Individualiste

11st 6lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Ben Lund

Four-time winner (hurdles/fences) but he's lost his way and was pulled up in four of his last five runs in Ireland; left Gavin Cromwell since his last run in January and has plenty to prove for new yard; equipment removed.

66/1

Form: 3P243P C

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Form dipped on belated return to chasing last week; largely consistent over hurdles otherwise this term and may well bounce back; however, he's 0-15 since recording back-to-back wins here in May 2022.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

26th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

17:00 Fontwell

Kapitaliste

10st 13lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Alexandra Dunn

2-38 under rules, both wins at Newton Abbot (2m2f, good) in May 2022; placed a few times off higher marks last year and probably needed the run when fourth of seven behind Sandy Brook at Plumpton (3m1f, good) a fortnight ago; now 10lb better off; could go well.

13/2

5

26th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

17:00 Fontwell

Kapitaliste

10st 13lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Alexandra Dunn

never going well, jumped left on occasions, prominent, dropped to last after 8th, weakened after 10th, pulled up before 3 out

13/2

4th

3

12th May 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:40 Plumpton

Kapitaliste

11st 10lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Alexandra Dunn

midfield, not fluent 6th, not fluent 7th, lost ground before 4 out

4/1

Form: 409-7P

Last run: 8 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Four-time Flat winner for Keith Dalgleish and successful once over hurdles for Gordon Elliott; form has dipped markedly for current stable, as present mark reflects; big revival is required.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

5

16th Nov 2023

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

12:40 Taunton

Platinumcard

11st 11lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

Well beaten on all five starts for David Pipe, the last two on heavy ground last month; comes here with a lot to prove but combination of better ground and first-time blinkers may enable an upturn.

16/1

6th

7

21st Oct 2023

Soft

2m 5f 122y

Class 4

16:15 Newton Abbot

Platinumcard

11st 0lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

led

25/1

0

12

13th Oct 2023

Good

2m 0f 11y

Class 3

16:33 Chepstow

Platinumcard

10st 4lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

Plenty of competitive form on the Flat and over hurdles for previous yards but has looked cold as ice in three runs for this one; could yet turn a corner and well treated if he did.

25/1

Form: 6P15-

Last run: 313 days

W: 11st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Raced four times in France, standout form when winning over 2m3f last November; hard to assess with total confidence but market support should be heeded.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

4

30th Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

15:55 Taunton

Bonheur De Ballon

11st 7lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

A French winner over this far; had wind surgery before pulling up on stable debut in a handicap and underwent the same procedure ahead of another quiet run at Doncaster two weeks ago; cheekpieces added.

20/1

13th

4

15th Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 4

11:25 Doncaster

Bonheur De Ballon

11st 11lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

Pulled up at 22-1 on stable debut at Newton Abbot (2m5f, heavy) in October; however, this French winner (2m3f, good to soft) has had a wind op since; one to watch in the betting now back on less testing ground.

20/1

Form: 343-32 BF

Last run: 126 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
More exposed than some of these rivals and record is only 1-17 but he's a consistent sort; creditable second at Hexham (2m7f, good) when last seen four months ago; place possibilities off same mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

21st Apr 2024

Good To Soft

3m 2f 83y

Class 5

13:40 Stratford

Hasty Parisian

11st 11lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Just 1-20 over hurdles for Milton Harris/Anthony Charlton and has not been firing on all cylinders since returning from a break in the autumn; starts off for new trainer on a good mark and with conditions to suit but still needs today's headgear switch to perk him up.

14/1

4th

4

21st Apr 2024

Good To Soft

3m 2f 83y

Class 5

13:40 Stratford

Hasty Parisian

11st 11lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Just 1-20 over hurdles for Milton Harris/Anthony Charlton and has not been firing on all cylinders since returning from a break in the autumn; starts off for new trainer on a good mark and with conditions to suit but still needs today's headgear switch to perk him up.

14/1

5

12th Apr 2024

Good

2m 7f 95y

Class 5

15:45 Fakenham

Hasty Parisian

11st 11lb

T: Harriet Dickin

Non-runners

Gyenyame

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £43.40
Straight Forecast £47.56
Tricast £112.30
Trifecta £137.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Wonderful Eagle

D Express:

Individualiste

TOPSPEED:

Kapitaliste

Daily Mirror:

Balkardy

RP RATINGS:

Gyenyame

WEST COUNTRY:

Wonderful Eagle

The Times:

Wonderful Eagle

Telegraph:

Wonderful Eagle

The Guardian:

Wonderful Eagle

Daily Mail:

Wonderful Eagle

The Sun:

Wonderful Eagle

Daily Record:

Wonderful Eagle

The Star:

Individualiste

POSTDATA:

Kapitaliste