Stars of the future to race at Exeter's 2nd October meeting
Exeter’s second meeting of the season takes place a week today on Tuesday, October 23 and with its reputation for attracting top novices, several horses on the road to stardom are sure to feature in the line up.
The Betfred Best Mate Beginners’ Chase (3.10pm), which is run over two miles and a furlong, is the race that launched the chasing career of three times Gold Cup winner Best Mate and Philip Hobbs has it earmarked as the starting point for Bold Henry to commence his chasing career.
The six-year-old looked impressive at Kempton in April when he was well clear of the 16-runner field until tipping up at the final flight.
Three weeks later he made amends at Exeter when easily winning a maiden hurdle over two miles and one furlong. “The plan is to start at Exeter in the beginners’ chase and we’ll see where we go from there,” said Hobbs.
The trainer will also enter the smart hurdler Volador in the The Betfred ‘The Bonus King’ Beginners’ Chase run over three miles (4.40pm). It’s a race he saddled Quinz to win in 2010 and the eight-year-old went on to win the grade 3 Racing Post Chase the following February.
Volador’s season ended at Aintree when he finished down the field in the grade 3 Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle but prior to that he won a competitive handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter staying on well over the two miles four furlongs which suggests the step up in trip will suit.
Emma Lavelle could run either Gullinbursti or Highland Lodge in this race, two horses she describes as “very exciting prospects for the future.”
Highland Lodge won three novice hurdle races last season, including at Exeter on heavy ground in November. But his season was curtailed following an injury at Warwick in January where he started the odds on favourite to win a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle but finished down the field.
Gullinbursti won a novice hurdle at Exeter last November and went on to finish second to Knock A Hand at Newbury in February in a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle.
Exeter’s general manager Tim Darby said: “This meeting tends to attract some very exciting prospects for the season ahead and its one that racing fanatics always attend so that they can see the stars of the future in action.”
The action gets underway with the Dartmoor Term of “65” England Expects Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Hurdle (2.10pm) over two miles seven furlongs.
Also on the card is the Barclays 40 Years of Wedded Bliss Novices’ Hurdle run over two miles and one furlong, the Robert Barclay Seniority Stakes Handicap Hurdle over two miles four furlongs, the Haldon Handicap Chase. The Connolly´s Red Mills Bumper Challenge "Junior" Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race concludes the card at 5.10pm.
Racecourse tours and tipsters talks with racing pundit Luke Harvey are available with raceday packages and there’s a free raceday bus service which leaves Exeter St David’s at 12.30pm and Exeter Bus & Coach Station at 12.45pm.
Meeting – Exeter Racecourse, Tuesday, October 23
First race - 2.10pm Tickets available from www.exeter-racecourse.co.uk or by calling 08445 793 005.
Photo by Dan Mullan/Pinnacle - Photo Agency UK Tel: +44(0)1363 881025
