Horses to follow at Newton Abbot
Throughout the jumps season, I will be providing
horse racing tips
and weekly insights into a selection of horses to watch over the weekend, those I believe possess strong winning prospects and potential pathways toward the major spring festivals, particularly the
2026 Cheltenham Festival
in March. This weekend’s attention turns to the meeting at Newton Abbot, where I have identified three horses worthy of close consideration and we have at least one who will be hoping to follow a similar path to The New One, who in 2012 won at Newton Abbot before progressing on to win at Cheltenham in the spring.
Tips for betting at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a sharp, left-handed circuit with tight bends and a relatively short run in of around a furlong so positioning is often crucial. Those racing prominently tend to hold a clear advantage, particularly in smaller fields. The fences and hurdles come up quickly, especially down the back straight, testing a horse’s jumping so when a horse jumps well here we know they're a good jumper. On the other side of that it means there’s little time to recover from a jumping error so horses need to be on their game. Newton Abbot consistently rewards well-schooled, adaptable types which I'm hoping I have been able to highlight for this weekend.
3 horses to follow at Newton Abbot
2:15 2m1f British Stallion Studs EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle
While much of the pre-race attention is likely to centre on Calvino from the Paul Nicholls yard, it’s worth noting that several of Nicholls’ runners have tended to need their first outing this season, so a cautious approach may be wise with a novice hurdler.
The one that stands out to me is Hot To Go, representing the Twiston-Davies team with Sam taking the ride. I’ve always liked the policy of sending certain types straight over hurdles and skipping bumpers, and with the stable operating at an impressive 36% strike rate over the past two weeks, there’s every reason to believe this runner could be fully tuned for a strong seasonal debut. As with many early-season novice hurdles, the market often gravitates toward those with potential Festival aspirations, whether that be for the Supreme Novices’, Turners, or Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. While this contest may not yet reveal a future star of that calibre, it remains a valuable early indicator of emerging talent, and it would be no surprise to see an eye-catching performance here.
Horse to follow: Hot To Go - 15/8 -
BetMGM
The horse that catches the eye here is Blueking D’Oroux from the Paul Nicholls yard. While it’s true that a number of Nicholls’ runners have appeared to need their first outing this season, the shape of this particular race suggests that Blueking D’Oroux may not need to be fully wound up to get the job done. It was only in April that he produced a gutsy front-running performance to land the Select Hurdle at Sandown, narrowly holding off Salver and Kitzbuhel over 2m5½f. That victory underlined both his toughness and class, and with an official hurdle rating of 151, he already ranks among the more accomplished novices entering the chasing division. There’s every reason to believe he can progress further now sent over fences, particularly given Paul Nicholls’ outstanding record with developing young chasers. If he takes to the larger obstacles as expected, he could well emerge as a serious graded contender as the season unfolds.
I expect him to take this assignment in his stride, with a subsequent target likely to be the Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton in February, a race Nicholls has an outstanding record in, having won four of the last five running’s including last season with Rubaud. Looking further ahead, Blueking D’Oroux has the profile of a horse who could step up both in trip and class as the campaign progresses. His stamina and scope suggest that a future tilt at the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival would not be out of the question. Alternatively, if connections opt for a slightly shorter trip, the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree could come into play as well.
Either way, he looks a potential Grade 1 novice chaser in the making this season. His jumping technique will face an early test here, but if he’s been well-schooled at home, as Nicholls’ horses invariably are, it’s hard to see him being beaten on this occasion.
Horse to follow: Blueking D’Oroux - 1/3 -
SpreadEx
5:55 2m1f Jodie Standing's Point-To-Point Recruits Open National Hunt Flat Race
National Hunt bumpers are always a fascinating watch throughout the season, often providing the first glimpses of future stars. We’ve already witnessed some notable early-season performances, Loaded and Locked at Worcester being a prime example and Black Eddy at the Chepstow kick off meeting and races like today’s can often reveal horses with significant long-term potential.
When a bumper horse produces a standout performance, the natural question becomes whether they might develop into a contender for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. While it’s far too early to make those kinds of predictions here, the truth with unraced horses is that their ceiling remains unknown until they’ve had the chance to show it on the track.
In today’s contest, the one that appeals most is Not Now, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. The Twiston-Davies yard continues in excellent form, and given their proficiency with readying debutants for bumpers, it would be no surprise to see Not Now make a winning start to his career. He’s an intriguing prospect who could quickly establish himself as one to follow as the season unfolds.
Horse to follow: Not Now - 3/1 - BetMGM
Looking Ahead at the 2025/26 national hunt season
It’s never too early to start identifying potential stars. Each weekend, we’ll be delving into the Saturday racing action, analysing key races and comparing the
horse racing betting odds
in search of immediate winners and perhaps more importantly future contenders for those marquee end-of-season events. Next week, attention will firmly turn to the Cheltenham Showcase Meeting, where we’ll get our first meaningful look at potential stars who could make a serious impact at the major spring festivals. The National Hunt season truly begins to gather momentum back at Cheltenham next weekend, marking the point where long-term form lines start to take shape and handicap journeys begin.
For now, though, the focus remains on Newton Abbot, where I’m hopeful that the three selections highlighted can deliver a profitable start, and perhaps lay the groundwork for a successful campaign ahead.
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