Race Preview - Monday 28th September - UPDATED
By David Hucker
After record-breaking summer temperatures, autumn is very much in the air as we reach the end of September and Newton Abbot has just three meetings left of its 2026 season starting on Monday when racegoers can meet west country equine hero Frodon.
Trained by Paul Nicholls, Frodon won 19 of his 52 races, earning nearly £1.2m in prize money, striking up a fruitful partnership with Bryony Frost that included a history-making win in the 2019 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Life has changed for both horse and jockey, as Frodon, now 14 years old, retired to the Frost family farm near Buckfastleigh and Bryony is living and riding in France where she is retained by successful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and married to fellow jockey Baptiste Le Clerc.
Monday's six-race card gets underway at 1.50pm with the £15,000 Shelley Coles - Setting The Pace At 60 Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs in which leading trainer Dan Skelton runs Depalma, a winner over hurdles at the last meeting, from his three entries. Depalma, who was also entered in a later hurdle race, does have chasing experience and is handily handily weighted with only 10-10 to carry. Limerick Leader has been consistent this season, winning two races since joining trainer Nick Scholfield, and top-weight Muskerry Lad, a course winner in July when trained by Skelton, makes his stable debut for Mickey Bowen.
Matiwo, trained by Jane Williams, was an easy winner of a junior bumper at Newbury in January, but was well-beaten in a valuable race over hurdles at Compiegne last time. He faces a much easier task in the Jodie Standing's Point-To-Point Recruits Novices' Hurdle and could be the one to be on. Southwell bumper winner Scott's Legacy makes his hurdling debut and Ride Like A Girl has won one of her six hurdle starts.
There is another £15,000 in the prize fund for the Celebrating Devon Women In Business Novices' Limited Handicap Chase in which Dorset trainer Anthony Honeyball runs both Gore Point, who will be ridden by Harry Cobden, and Juggernaut. Off the mark over fences when beating Miss Denver and Saint Polo over the course earlier this month, Juggernaut has been raised 7lbs for that win, but still receives plenty of weight from his stable companion who, after clocking up three course wins in a row, was well beaten by Breaking Cover last time.
Berry Edge, running here in preference to Market Rasen on Saturday, is Skelton's choice from two entries in the Final Furlong Before "I Do" Selling Handicap Hurdle. Amongst the opposition are three course winners in Cogital, Saucats and top-weight Saint Polo, who ran up a hat-trick of wins over hurdles before being beaten over fences when third to Juggernaut.
Raised just 1lb after finishing second to Service Minimum at the last meeting, Kom Tu Voudras should have a good chance in the Paul Ferguson's Jumpers To Follow Handicap Hurdle over two miles, five and a half furlongs, Course winner Ellerton, Kilnew Supreme, the only runner of the afternoon for trainer Paul Nicholls, and the consistent Kittys Glance provide the opposition.
Bits Ballou and Final Entry finished second and third behind Jack's Jury over the course in June and meet again in the closing Par Inn Bulpin Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle. Bits Ballou, who will be ridden by Lucas Murphy, is favoured by the weights and can confirm her superiority. James King is by far the most experienced rider, but his mount Poet's Muse, who is yet to win a race, has a bit to find if she is going to get involved in the finish.