3rd August 2012

Newton Abbot Betting: Spock land feature race at Newton Abbot for Jacob and Nicholls

3.45 Newton Abbot: SIS Live Handicap Chase (Class 2) (2m110y)

A very good jump card at Newton Abbot this weekend and the feature race is a 0-145 Handicap Chase over the minimum trip with a first prize of over £15,000. Only ten runners have been declared possibly due to the ground firming up but we still have a competitive looking affair.

Local trainer Paul Nicholls has a couple of runners and his main hope Spock is currently the 4/1 favourite with bookmakers BetVictor.

The 7yo has been running over much further and won here last August over 2m6f, he missed the winter and all the bad ground and came back with a victory at Worcester in May, his next run was a disappointment when he fell at Market Rasen in the valuable Summer Plate and if that has not dented his confidence he can bounce back here in this weaker race. The stables other runner is the bottom one Shooters Wood, he’s a point winner and hasn’t been in the yard that long as runs here 10lbs out of the handicap which seems a tad strange and is best watched for now.

Mister Matt is fancied to follow up his recent win at Worcester where he beat Trooper Clarence by 9 lengths, he set off like scalded cat that day and the opposition never saw which way he went. The time before he came up against Marodima who uses similar tactics and he couldn’t dominate so if he can get a lead he can paly a part despite his 7lb rise in the weights. Top weight Passato won last time out at Stratford for Jo Davis, he had been winning on the level prior to that and might find this tough off his new mark of 141 but has ran well in the past.

Peter Bowen is in good form and he sends Rio Gael to do battle, he too has been running on the flat to sharpen him up and won at Aintree in May the last time we saw him over fences, he gone up 8lbs since and has been a little suspect in the jumping department but he will enjoy this ground. Another trainer flying at the moment is Dr Richard Newland, he saddles Stage Acclaim who was running in selling hurdles not that long ago before winning a Chase at Ffos Las in the mud, I’m not sure he’s up to this class to be honest but I suppose the opportunities are rare at the minute and is in fair form.

Callisto Moon is yet another fit from the flat and the second runner for Jo Hughes, he has a bit to find with a few of these but is great heart at the moment and deserves his place in the line up, at one time he was a tear away but has settle better as he has got older. A race like this wouldn’t be the same without a Jonjo/JP McManus/AP McCoy combination in the line up and Temple Lord is their representative, he ran well enough when second to Rajnagan last time but it has taken him time to come into form this season. He has won off a higher mark than he races off today but doesn’t look a straightforward ride to me and may need producing late. The other two runners are Sublime Talent and Oceana Gold, the latter had a warm up over hurdles last time and is capable on his best form while Sublime Talent has been doing well in novice chases but this is much tougher.

Nice little race this for the money and it looks like Mister Matt will bid to make all in his customary style, if he is given enough rope out in front he will be hard to peg back but the likes of Spock and Temple Lord will enjoy a strong pace to shoot at late on in the piece if their jumping holds up. I do think Spock is capable of reaching a higher mark than the 129 he runs off here so has to be the pick and I suppose AP will somehow get Temple Lord to run on for a place.

Selections;

2pts Spock 4/1 Bet365

1pt EW Temple Lord 7/1 BetVictor

» £200 Free Bet at Bet365