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Glajou can regain winning thread at Newton Abbot

Written by Press Association | Aug 21, 2023 4:59:12 PM

Glajou can return to winning form for the first time in almost a year in the Andy Hobbs Memorial Handicap Chase on Tuesday at Newton Abbot.

He was a winner at Worcester last August before one disappointing run on easy ground, with Neil Mulholland promptly sending him off on a winter break to avoid the very worst ground of the season.

Conditions were probably still a bit too testing for his liking when he returned in the spring, but Glajou has shown signs of a renaissance in his last two starts, finishing a distant second at Southwell in June before an improved effort last month over the same 4200m he faces here.

Beaten just under four lengths, a mistake at the last fence did not aid his cause and his effort could be slightly upgraded on that basis.

His current perch of 105 still puts him 2kg below his last winning mark.

Clearance can improve on his admirable strike rate of two wins in his last three starts by adding another victory in the Talk Tidy Marketing Handicap Hurdle.

The nine-year-old had just over 12 months between victories, snapping his losing sequence when striking at Newton Abbot in June before having to settle for second at the track in mid-July.

He had a bit too much to do to catch a winner who raced prominently that day, but Clearance showed it was not his 2kg rise to blame for the defeat when striking gold at the end of the month.

Clearance did not appear to be all out to win by a length and three-quarters and a further 1.5kg may not be ideal, but it is still a way short of the highest mark in his career.

Ryder's Rock is winless in six starts ahead of the Joe And Sophie Finally Got Married Mares' Handicap Hurdle.

Joe Tizzard's charge has taken steps forward in her last two starts though, finishing a 17-length second in June before posting an even better effort to be beaten just under three lengths at Newton Abbot last time.

She did not jump the final two flights particularly well, so there might be something left to work with.

Hell Red returned to something like his best last time and can kick on again in the Peter Dawson Forget-Me-Not Handicap Chase at Worcester.

A four-times winner last summer, the six-year-old was also on the mark back in April but proved a bit disappointing in two subsequent hurdles spins before showing a little more sparkle when third at Uttoxeter back over fences.

He never really looked like winning, but only lost out on second in the final stride, beaten a short head in a better race than this. Raised 0.5kg, Hell Red can go well again for Paul Nicholls.

Ridge Hill is an eyecatching newcomer in the Get Pulling With PJ Nicholls Ssangyong Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Trained by Archie Watson, he boasts a fine pedigree as a Dubawi half-brother to Hardwicke Stakes winner Dartmouth.

The four-year-old was bred by Godolphin but never made it to the track in the famous royal blue silks before his sale back in March. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 2 UK meetings on Tuesday. Here are the tips.

NEWTON ABBOT: Race 1: 15.30 Stepney Causeway, Race 2: 16.00 Ryder's Rock, Race 3: 16.30 Wonderful Eagle, Race 4: 17.00 GLAJOU (NAP), Race 5: 17.30 Clearance, Race 6: 18.00 Lelantos.

WORCESTER: Race 1: 18.30 Zoran, Race 2: 19.00 Hell Red, Race 3: 19.30 Ridge Hill, Race 4: 20.00 State Of Bliss, Race 5: 20.30 Sforza Castle, Race 6: 21.00 Classic Concorde.

ALL TO COME: Glajou (Newton Abbot, Race 4) and Hell Red (Worcester, Race 2).