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

2nd

4

13th Jul 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 4

16:42 Newton Abbot

Balkardy

11st 0lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Mrs C Williams

Multiple hurdle/chase winner but he's lost his way since a 2m4f success at Ffos Las (good to soft) last June and has offered little in three runs this season; well treated on his best form but with plenty to prove.

25/1

3

23rd Jun 2026

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

20:20 Newton Abbot

Balkardy

11st 13lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Mrs C Williams

Multiple hurdle/chase winner; unseated rider in early stages of a chase last month, after a layoff, and was tailed-off 66-1 shot when back over hurdles at Worcester (2m7f, good) 17 days ago; others have much less to prove.

33/1

7th

6

6th Jun 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:25 Worcester

Balkardy

11st 12lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Mrs C Williams

7-39, with three wins over hurdles, but he's hard to predict and was badly out of sorts in the autumn; unseated early on last month's return and reverts to hurdles off his last winning mark, but it's difficult to know what to expect.

16/1

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

4th

4

(1)

28th Jun 2026

Standard

2m 0f 120y

Class 6

15:47 Wolverhampton (AW)

Individualiste

9st 6lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Ben Lund

Formerly a fair hurdler/chaser, but the wheels have come right off; no appeal despite another 6lb drop.

50/1

8th

7

(8)

10th Jun 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 5

17:08 Kempton (AW)

Individualiste

9st 5lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Ben Lund

Formerly with Paul Nicholls then Gavin Cromwell; has four jumps wins to his name; placed twice in this code at up to 1m5f but very hard to fancy on his form since joining his current trainer.

50/1

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

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