September 30 / 15.45 Newton Abbot

15.45

Heavy

Visit Our Antiques & Collectables Fair On 12th October Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £6344.58
  • 2m 5f 122y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Visit Our Antiques & Collectables Fair On 12th October Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: 1322-1

Last run: 142 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Dual bumper winner who reached the frame in three maiden/novice hurdles (soft, heavy; 2m3f-2m7f)) before gaining a deserved first win at Hexham (2m7f, good) when last seen in May; leading player with plenty in his favour on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 5f 201y

Class 2

17:20 Cheltenham

Guard The Moon

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Made a bad mistake at the fourth fence at Newbury in December and soon pulled up; clearcut winner of small-field novice handicaps at Aintree (2m4f, soft) and Windsor (3m, soft; first-time cheekpieces) in his other two chases and he shaped in the latter as if stamina was a strong suit.

20/1

1st

2

16th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 3

13:15 Windsor

Guard The Moon

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Made a bad mistake at the fourth fence and soon pulled up at Newbury last month; however, prior to that he won in good style on his chase debut at Aintree (2m4f, soft) and he should be fine now back up in trip; likely player if minimising the blunders in first-time cheekpieces.

11/2

3

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 127y

Class 3

15:52 Perth

Guard The Moon

11st 10lb

J: James Turner

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Struggled in the Pertemps Final and his previous run was no better; however, he beat recent Cheltenham winner Long Draw at Warwick earlier this season and followed that with two excellent seconds at up to 3m; if back in that sort of form he'd be a live contender.

6/1

Form: -82147

Last run: 3 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Didn't run badly off this mark on handicap debut when a 24l seventh of 12 in a valuable Worcester (2m4f, soft) novice hurdle on Friday; this is easier and he's likely to give the market leader most to do if those exertions haven't taken the edge off him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

6th Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 72y

Class 4

14:15 Bangor-on-Dee

Full Monty

11st 4lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Maiden hurdle winner last summer; had to settle for second when well backed for recent chasing debut at Worcester (2m4f, good) but that was his first run for nearly seven months and he was nicely clear of the third; only 1lb higher here and will be hard to beat if combination of refitted tongue-tie and first-time cheekpieces has any positive effect.

5/2

2nd

5

13th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:00 Worcester

Full Monty

11st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Low-mileage 7yo who won a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) last summer; safely held in two handicap hurdles in the autumn, though, and makes his chasing debut after a 205-day absence.

9/1

5

13th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:00 Worcester

Full Monty

11st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Low-mileage 7yo who won a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) last summer; safely held in two handicap hurdles in the autumn, though, and makes his chasing debut after a 205-day absence.

9/1

Form: 31353- C

Last run: 252 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Seven-time Flat winner who won a couple of hurdles last year (3m2f and 3m; heavy/good), both for Gearoid Harney; has to be forgiven an underwhelming return to the Flat this month but reverts to hurdles off his most recent winning mark and will not be inconvenienced by the testing ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

18th Nov 2024

Good

2m 7f 25y

Class 4

14:00 Exeter

Ben Lilly

11st 4lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

Should be well handicapped but he looks cold as ice at the minute and has the most to prove of these.

10/1

Form: 416

Last run: 71 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Won a five-finisher maiden over 2m at Stratford (good to firm) in July but had limitations exposed when back there under a penalty; unproven on ground worse than good and doesn't look obviously well treated for handicap debut; others appeal more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

1st Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Paddys Island

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Won a fast-ground maiden at Stratford (2m) last summer and coped well soft ground when third on handicap debut there (extended 2m2f) in October; 1lb lower today and pedigree suggests this new trip will suit.

3/1

4

1st Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Paddys Island

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Won a fast-ground maiden at Stratford (2m) last summer and coped well soft ground when third on handicap debut there (extended 2m2f) in October; 1lb lower today and pedigree suggests this new trip will suit.

3/1

3rd

4

7th Oct 2024

Soft

2m 2f 148y

Class 4

16:27 Stratford

Paddys Island

11st 6lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Kept on well to win course maiden (2m, good to firm) in July, and his two runs here either side of that (2m2f/2m) were perfectly respectable; not obviously well treated for this handicap debut but open to improvement if suited by the forecast slower ground.

11/2

Form: 33315- BF

Last run: 226 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Won 2m4f Leicester handicap (2m4f, heavy) in January but beaten 83l when failing to stay 3m in February; drop back in trip looks a good move after a break but likely to prove vulnerable against less-exposed types.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

23rd Apr 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 2

15:00 Warwick

EdeIffs Rock

11st 11lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Kathy Turner

4-10 over fences and better than ever this season with front-running wins at Taunton (2m7f; good to soft/good); this track will suit her style but a collective 17lb rise for those wins could see her vulnerable.

5/1

1st

5

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

15:45 Taunton

EdeIffs Rock

11st 6lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Kathy Turner

Lightly raced this term but she looked better than ever last time when gaining a second C&D success, cosily making all; hiked up 10lb but she's a big player.

3/1

1st

7

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

16:01 Taunton

EdeIffs Rock

11st 6lb

J: Robbie David

T: Kathy Turner

Front-running winner of this race last year, but she's had only three runs since and was tailed off at Hereford (2m5f, soft) last month; needs to bounce back after that but she's feasibly treated if she can get back near best; has won on good and heavy ground.

12/1

Verdict

Full Monty ran well in a hotter race than this on Friday and needs respecting despite the quick turnaround but the unexposed GUARD THE MOON has plenty going for him on his handicap debut and looks the one to be on. [Tim Mitchell]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Guard The Moon

RP RATINGS:

Ben Lilly

POSTDATA:

Full Monty

TOPSPEED:

Ede'iffs Rock

WEST COUNTRY:

Guard The Moon

The Times:

Guard The Moon

Telegraph:

Guard The Moon

The Guardian:

Guard The Moon

D Express:

Guard The Moon

Daily Mirror:

Guard The Moon

The Star:

Guard The Moon

Daily Record:

Guard The Moon

Daily Mail:

Ben Lilly

The Sun:

Ben Lilly