May 08 / 16.30 Newton Abbot

16.30

Heavy

Newton Abbot National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (Conditional & Amateur Jockeys’) (GBB)

  • Prize money: £3267.6
  • 2m 0f 167y
  • Class 4
  • 11 runners
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Newton Abbot National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (Conditional & Amateur Jockeys’) (GBB)

Runners: 11 runners

Type: NH Flat

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: 9-

Last run: 212 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

15:50 Fontwell

Johnnie River

10st 5lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sue Gardner

Tailed off in all his races and being 10lb out of the weights clearly won't help.

50/1

11

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

15:50 Fontwell

Johnnie River

10st 5lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sue Gardner

Tailed off in all his races and being 10lb out of the weights clearly won't help.

50/1

10th

4

6th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 100y

Class 4

13:50 Chepstow

Johnnie River

11st 4lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sue Gardner

Tailed off in all five starts including a bumper, two Flat runs in Jersey and two maidens over hurdles; no appeal.

100/1

Form: 42-

Last run: 147 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

1st Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 82y

Class 4

14:50 Wincanton

Matthias

11st 9lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Returned from two-year absence with some promising runs during the winter including when fifth of 18 in a maiden here (1m7f, good to soft; tongue tied) in February; now goes handicapping off what looks a fair mark and she has a high-class 2m5f winner on her dam's side; respected at this new trip.

4/1

5th

10

25th Feb 2026

Soft

1m 7f 50y

Class 4

13:50 Wincanton

Matthias

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Came back from two-year absence with encouraging third in Chepstow novice (good to soft) in December; 7-4 from 3-1 but he took a big step backwards when tailed-off last of five finishers at Lingfield (also about 2m3f, heavy) three weeks ago; new tongue-tie/drop in trip might help and he's not confidently ruled out.

12/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

13th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 5

15:43 Perth

The Flying Poet

11st 13lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Runner-up four times over hurdles prior to getting off the mark in a tight finish here (3m, good; 13-8 favourite, added tongue-tie) last September; off since and set to make chasing debut but there's no reason why he shouldn't take to fences; merits respect.

11/4

4

25th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 207y

Class 5

16:53 Perth

The Flying Poet

11st 7lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Lightly raced maiden but looks a winner waiting to happen and was clear of the rest when chasing home the odds-on favourite at Worcester (2m7f, good; first-time cheekpieces); big shout off the same with a tongue-tie added.

5/2

2nd

5

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

19:00 Worcester

The Flying Poet

11st 4lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Unexposed 6yo who chased home a next-time-out winner on handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m4f) in May and was back on track, after a blip, when second of 11 over C&D (also good) in July; can likely do better and he's respected in first-time cheekpieces.

3/1

Form: 3-

Last run: 66 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

9

3rd Mar 2024

Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 5

17:00 Doncaster

Zainy Champ

11st 2lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

led, headed over 3f out, outpaced and hung right under 2f out, kept on, no match for first two

14/1

Form: 5-

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

17:50 Hexham

East Eagle

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Reliable 6yo who has continued in good heart since scoring at Catterick (3m1f, good) in January and produced a career-best when back on the scoresheet at Stratford (3m2f, good) last month; failed to land a blow over C&D latest and has something to find with My Boy Christy, though he remains one for the shortlist in the context of the race.

9/1

5th

9

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

20:15 Hexham

East Eagle

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Two wins on good ground last season, the latest 13 days ago when scoring by 9l at Stratford; stiffer task off this 8lb higher mark, but these conditions suit.

7/1

1st

5

19th Apr 2026

Good

3m 2f 83y

Class 5

14:33 Stratford

East Eagle

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Back to winning ways at Catterick (3m1f) in January and has continued in good form, second of eight in another 3m1f handicap there last time; in the mix once more.

11/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

26th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 162y

Class 4

15:15 Fontwell

Idaho Sun

11st 4lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Scraped home in his first bumper (heavy) but impressed on soft ground in a Berkshire Winter Million event at Windsor and then ran sixth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham (good to soft), where he got outpaced off steady fractions before running on well up the hill; easily the best of these in that scene and could take high rank in novice hurdles.

Evs

6th

8

12th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

17:20 Cheltenham

Idaho Sun

11st 7lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

The dam is out of a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere; all out to win on heavy at Newton Abbot in October but had the runner-up further behind when decisively following up in Berkshire Winter Million event at Windsor in January (soft); impressing on typical mid-winter ground can count for nothing here but he's hugely unexposed.

18/1

1st

2

19th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:10 Windsor

Idaho Sun

11st 8lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

9-2, beat Supreme Malinas by a short head to make a winning debut at Newton Abbot (2m1f, heavy) in October; the runner-up was a Listed winner next time and the third has also scored since; on the shortlist.

10/1

Form: 5-

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 5

14:50 Musselburgh

Leader Wing

10st 13lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Gillian Boanas

Lost out in a tight finish over C&D (soft) in December and creditable third to Big Storm Brewing at Newcastle (2m4f, good to soft; fine on good ground) on latest outing; hurdles score has gone to 0-14, though.

4/1

3rd

7

3rd Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 5

14:05 Newcastle

Leader Wing

11st 3lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Gillian Boanas

Sedgefield bumper winner (2m1f, good) in May 2024; runner-up (beaten 2l) in a division of this last year, and lost out in a tight finish at Musselburgh (3m) in December; less productive in a change of headgear (visor) next time; must enter the thinking in a weak race.

7/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

(6)

13th Sep 2025

Soft

1m 2f 37y

Class 4

17:10 Bath

Soul Limbo

9st 10lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Harry Fry

Hurdle winner at Uttoxeter in July (2m, good); modest form on last month's Flat debut at Salisbury (1m2f, good to soft); big step forward needed.

8/1

4th

1

(2)

29th Aug 2025

Good

1m 1f 201y

Class 4

19:13 Salisbury

Soul Limbo

9st 11lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Harry Fry

Second in a bumper and won his third hurdle start a month ago at Uttoxeter (2m novice, good); may lack the gears for this.

10/1

6

25th Jul 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

14:02 Uttoxeter

Soul Limbo

11st 2lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Harry Fry

Second in a bumper and would have been placed on hurdling debut but for a late fall; he was safely held when back at Worcester last month and reservations on the back of that effort.

11/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

16:50 Fontwell

Well Presented

10st 6lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Seamus Mullins

Lacked fluency and was always in rear over C&D (good) on handicap debut in May; needs to be a completely different proposition on this first appearance since.

25/1

5th

8

7th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:35 Fontwell

Well Presented

10st 5lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Seamus Mullins

Goes up in distance for his handicap debut but he hasn't shown much at all thus far.

25/1

5th

8

7th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:35 Fontwell

Well Presented

10st 5lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Seamus Mullins

Goes up in distance for his handicap debut but he hasn't shown much at all thus far.

25/1

Form: 73-

Last run: 34 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

31st Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 178y

Class 3

12:55 Sandown

Hot Goddess

11st 1lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: Martin Keighley

Ties in with Precious Metal on Lingfield running but that rival has a better profile; failed to make a significant splash on handicap debut (2m4f, heavy) since; the only contestant who is still seeking a first win of any type.

8/1

4th

6

5th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 4

14:15 Ludlow

Hot Goddess

11st 5lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Martin Keighley

Modest form in two bumpers last spring and when third of 13 at 100-1 in maiden hurdle at Chepstow (2m4f, soft) in October; needs to build on that markedly but, unlike a lot of these, she's shown she has some ability.

9/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

8

(9)

12th Jul 2025

Standard

1m 2f 150y

16:40 Dundalk (AW)

Silver Pageant

9st 4lb

J: Ronan Whelan

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Ran okay in a bumper but very minor form in two runs in maiden hurdles; now has tongue tied.

33/1

10

10th Jun 2025

Good

2m 1f 157y

17:58 Sligo

Silver Pageant

11st 7lb

J: Adam Leahy

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Standout effort a 5l sixth in an Uttoxeter bumper on soft last July; 100-1 and beaten 45l on hurdling debut at Listowel (2m, good); forecast rain a positive but needs more.

40/1

14th

14

2nd Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

13:55 Listowel

Silver Pageant

11st 7lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Minor form in two British bumpers and again at Wexford last August; limited appeal for now.

50/1

Verdict

Idaho Sun, The Flying Poet and Soul Limbo (preferred in that order) are three newcomers from two stables with very good bumpers records but Anthony Honeyball does well in this sphere too, and his Exeter runner-up MATTHIAS is taken to put his experience to good use. Irish raider Silver Pageant also looks interesting.[Chris Wilson