May 07 / 14.45 Newton Abbot

14.45

Good

Racing To School Reaches 250,000 Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 2m 0f 75y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
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Racing To School Reaches 250,000 Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.00
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 42421- D

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Has taken pretty well to fences in recent weeks and quickened up to beat El Rojo Grande readily by over 3l at Warwick (2m, good) a fortnight ago; recent 7lb rise asks him a question but he still makes strong appeal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:35 Ffos Las

Gwennie May Jem

11st 11lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Olly Murphy

Proved hugely resurgent with easy win at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) last week on third start for new stable, taking chase record to 3-10; well handicapped under a penalty that is partly offset by Lewis Saunders taking off 3lb; future mark 4lb higher; respected.

11/10

OUR TIP

15/8

  • Place: £1.50

Form: /3532-

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
0-10 under rules but returned from long absence with four good chase runs towards end of last season, most recently when second to Gwennie May Jem at Warwick (2m, good) a fortnight ago; was messed about by a loose horse between the final two fences there and has a good pull in the weights with the winner here; obvious contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

18th Apr 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 5

13:52 Bangor-on-Dee

El Rojo Grande

11st 9lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Katy Price

Has more chasing experience than many of these and with a strike-rate of 4-15 things are going well; those wins have been from 2m to 2m4f so the are stamina questions to answer, for all that he has won a 3m point.

6/1

1st

4

26th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:28 Warwick

El Rojo Grande

11st 5lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Katy Price

Kicked off 2026 with a hat-trick (2m1f/2m, soft/heavy) and he's gone close on his last two starts (2m/2m3f, heavy/soft); has shown promise on good ground in the past and he could be bang there once more.

4/1

2nd

4

16th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:00 Ffos Las

El Rojo Grande

11st 6lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Katy Price

Began this year with three slow-ground wins (2m-2m1f, one here) and lost out only by a head when second here (2m, heavy; front pair well clear) on latest outing; continues to climb up the weights but should be fine over today's longer trip and can make his presence felt again.

2/1

Form: 55714-

Last run: 35 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Displayed big jolt of improvement over hurdles at Fakenham (2m4f, good) in January, keeping on strongly to win by 12l, but was last of four of new mark last month (2m5f) and is not sure to be suited by the drop back to 2m for this chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

13:00 Huntingdon

Crac De Megaudais

10st 8lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Tom Gretton

2m4f hurdle winner on good ground; 0-5 as a chaser and failed to convince stamina-wise when stepped up to 3m at Southwell, finishing 28l off the winner; to give him the benefit of the doubt, that run was after a break.

11/2

3rd

5

11th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

14:42 Southwell

Crac De Megaudais

10st 12lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Tom Gretton

Won 2m4f hurdle at the start of 2025 and made a fairly encouraging chase debut when third of six at Newton Abbot (2m, good) one year ago; returned from break with three disappointing runs from November to January, though, and has questions to answer on first attempt at 3m; hood refitted.

12/1

Form: 5P/64- D

Last run: 35 days

W: 10st 5lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Didn't run badly when fourth at Exeter (2m3f, good; cheekpieces refitted) last month, his second start after a one-year absence, but he's 0-10 over fences now and remains a difficult horse to enthuse over.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

28th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

15:18 Newton Abbot

Blue Ribbon

10st 11lb

J: David Noonan

T: Ryan Chapman

Winning hurdler; no wins in 11 over fences and hard to make a compelling case; finished last of the four to complete here three weeks ago.

10/1

4th

7

28th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

15:18 Newton Abbot

Blue Ribbon

10st 11lb

J: David Noonan

T: Ryan Chapman

Winning hurdler; no wins in 11 over fences and hard to make a compelling case; finished last of the four to complete here three weeks ago.

10/1

4th

5

7th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Blue Ribbon

10st 5lb

J: David Noonan

T: Ryan Chapman

prominent, outpaced before 2 out, weakened last

10/1

Form: 78/PU-

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 8lb

10 yo Mare

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Placed twice over fences in 2023 but returned from layoff with two non-completions this spring and is yet to add to her hurdling win in 2021; others look much less risky.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

7th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

16:10 Exeter

Poets Reflection

10st 2lb

J: Mr Jack Stenhouse

T: Linda Blackford

1-34 overall and 0-10 as a chaser; has been in poor form for a while (hurdling most recently) and couldn't entertain from 11lb out of the weights.

66/1

7th

10

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:45 Taunton

Poets Reflection

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Linda Blackford

Sole win (33 races) was on good ground here but in 2021; results over the last year have been pretty grim (latest in first-time cheekpieces) and she's now 6lb out of the handicap; unraced beyond an extended 2m5f.

50/1

Form: 67777-

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 4lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Showed no significant promise during four-race hurdling career and was well beaten on recent chasing debut; drops back from 2m5f and is effectively 9lb lower today but remains best watched.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

7th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Clashmore Banter

10st 4lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Nikki Evans

held up in rear, not fluent and flashed tail 3rd, outpaced 8th, lost touch 9th, pulled up before 2 out

20/1

6

7th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Clashmore Banter

10st 4lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Nikki Evans

held up in rear, not fluent and flashed tail 3rd, outpaced 8th, lost touch 9th

20/1

7th

7

22nd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

18:43 Hereford

Clashmore Banter

10st 2lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Nikki Evans

Limited hurdler who goes chasing from 7lb out of the weights and she's hard to recommend.

25/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.40
Straight Forecast £4.01
Trifecta £8.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Gwennie May Jem

RP RATINGS:

El Rojo Grande

POSTDATA:

Gwennie May Jem

The Times:

Gwennie May Jem

Telegraph:

Gwennie May Jem

The Guardian:

Gwennie May Jem

Daily Mail:

Gwennie May Jem

D Express:

Gwennie May Jem

Daily Mirror:

Gwennie May Jem

The Sun:

Gwennie May Jem

The Star:

Gwennie May Jem

Daily Record:

Gwennie May Jem