Newton Abbot, Wednesday 27 May 2026 — Tips & Preview

Newton Abbot, Wednesday 27 May 2026 — Tips & Preview

A sunny afternoon at Newton Abbot with good ground across the card. Six races on offer, and the going should suit the sharper, less grinding types. Three races stand out for punting purposes, and there are some very interesting trainer angles to unpick. David Pipe’s yard is firing on all cylinders right now, Paul Nicholls knows this track inside out, and there are a couple of course specialists at big prices worth exploring.

2:53 — Stock Exe Building Supplies Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (2m1f)

Ten runners, but this effectively comes down to four realistic contenders. Lady Kara is the market leader and fair enough after that dominant Hereford win, but a penalty in a 10-runner field with some interesting hurdling debutants makes this more competitive than it looks at first glance.

The selection is Frenati at 5/2 (Boyle Sports, Betfred). Anthony Honeyball sends her hurdling having already shown she handles this exact track and this exact conditions, posting a career-best effort when a close second here over 2m1f on good ground last month. That run was in a bumper, and she has the jumps pedigree to back up a smooth transition to obstacles. She looked every inch a hurdler in waiting that day. Honeyball’s record at this track is modest in the 14-day stats, but his horse has already proven she handles the course, which matters more than stable form in a case like this.

Lady Litigator at 11/4 (Boyle Sports, Betfred) is the other one to respect. Jonathan Burke has a superb 24% strike rate at Newton Abbot with an A/E of 1.17, meaning he rides at this track with genuine purpose. The Wincanton runner-up run last month was solid, and the pedigree screams jumper. But the hurdling switch is an unknown, and at a shorter price than Frenati, the value sits with Honeyball’s other runner.

Selection: Frenati, 5/2 (Boyle Sports/Betfred)

3:53 — Hugh Michelmore Memorial Handicap Chase (3m2f)

Five runners and a cracking little staying chase. Only two places on offer each-way, so the selection needs to win rather than just sneak into the money. The favourite Rickety Bridge catches the eye on form, but the angle here points somewhere more interesting.

Time To Bite at 10/3 (Boyle Sports, Betfred) is the play. This admirable 11-year-old has won nine times over fences, and three of those wins have come right here at Newton Abbot. He made every yard to win at Fakenham on good ground just this month from 2lb out of the weights, and now faces a 4lb rise. That is manageable. The key stat: Chris Honour as a trainer lands an A/E of 1.50 at this track, the highest of any trainer in the course stats. When Honour brings a horse to Newton Abbot, it tends to run to its rating or better. Bryan Carver also holds an A/E of 1.23 at the track from 84 rides, so the horse and jockey combination both carry strong course value.

Rickety Bridge is clearly interesting after winning over course and distance three weeks ago, and Paul Nicholls with Freddie Gingell aboard is a potent combination here. But a 3lb rise for a first chasing win, and a horse stretching from 2m5f hurdles to 3m2f chases in quick succession, makes the favourite shorter than he should be. Time To Bite has proven this trip, this track, and this going multiple times. At 10/3 he represents the value.

Selection: Time To Bite, 10/3 (Boyle Sports/Betfred)

4:56 — Mrs. Pamela Ann Dobbs Birthday Celebration Handicap Hurdle (2m5½f)

Six runners and a small-field handicap hurdle over an extended two and a half miles. The clear angle here is Ellerton at 11/10 (Boyle Sports/Betfred), but there is a legitimate challenger that makes this more interesting at a bigger price.

Ellerton deserves market respect. Joe Tizzard’s A/E at Newton Abbot sits at 1.13, and this horse won here two weeks ago in a comfortable display from off the pace. The step back up in trip is no concern given his first hurdle win came over 2m4f. Tizzard has him in form and knows the track.

However, the value play is Byzantium Each-Way at 11/4 (Boyle Sports/Betfred). Paul Nicholls is the dominant trainer at Newton Abbot with a 28% strike rate and has three winners from eight runners in the last 14 days. Byzantium won twice over hurdles last June, including over course and distance on good ground. The Wincanton incident last month where he crashed out while actually leading is a concern for focus, but at 11/4 with Nicholls firing and a C&D win to his name, the potential is clear. If he jumps cleanly he is well handicapped on his best form. Each-way at 11/4 makes sense with two places at quarter odds.

David Pipe’s American Sniper also warrants respect. Pipe is 4/6 in the last 14 days and the form from that Taunton second in December shows ability. But the patchy profile and a return from a breathing run makes him harder to trust here than the two market principals.

Selection: Ellerton, 11/10 (Boyle Sports/Betfred). Each-way saver on Byzantium at 11/4.

Today’s NAP

Time To Bite — Hugh Michelmore Memorial Handicap Chase (3:53, Newton Abbot)
Odds: 10/3 — Boyle Sports (others: 10/3 Betfred, 3/1 LiveScore Bet)

Three wins at this exact track, a fresh victory on good ground just weeks ago, and trainer Chris Honour posting an A/E of 1.50 at Newton Abbot, the sharpest trainer figure on the card. Bryan Carver’s 1.23 A/E here adds further confidence. A 4lb penalty is workable for a horse running as well as he has at the age of 11, and the combination of course form, current fitness, and trainer/jockey course stats makes 10/3 a genuinely attractive price in a five-runner field.