6.35pm Newton Abbot Tips & Betting Preview 29/08/2017

Only a small field going to post, but this is an interesting looking two mile hurdle. Our expert tip and runner by runner preview for the contest are below.

IN SUMMARY: ALDRIN looks to have an excellent chance of adding to his Bangor win from last time out, sat on a perch of 113 which looks to be on the generous side from the handicapper. He is lightly raced and judged on that performance, he should improve well past this sort of level. Berry De Carjac will be popular carrying a penalty for a wide margin Stratford win last week, but he is no sure thing to reproduce that based on his past form. Salto Chisco is a solid type and should run his usual honest race.

1 ALDRIN – Late developer didn’t make the track until late July of his three-year-old campaign, showing promise in a pair of starts for Godolphin. Joining the David Pipe yard he showed a little ability on his first hurdling start but it properly clicked into place last time when running out a very comfortable winner at Bangor. Travelling sweetly into the straight, he survived a little scare two out to effortlessly draw clear on the run-in. Looks to have huge improvement still in the tank, an opening gambit of 113 looks to seriously underestimate him.

2 SALTO CHISCO – A rock solid campaigner at his level, his three handicap wins have come from 107, 110 and 112, finding himself on the middle figure over hurdles. He was unable to cope with a progressive four-year-old at Perth in June from this mark and again he has to take on one of a similar ilk in this contest. Will run his usual honest race but it would be a shade disappointing if he were to get the better of Aldrin.

3 IN ON THE ACT – Rated 125 at his peak, the last two years have been a tale of steady decline with just a single decent run. He won from five pounds higher at Worcester in July of last year in a race that completely fell to pieces in front of him up the straight. He has not enjoyed a stint chasing this year so a drop back to hurdles looks a smart move. Would be a big player if he was able to reproduce his best over the smaller obstacles, but that is a big if at present.

4 CILLIAN’S WELL – Has been in decent form at this sort of level this summer, picking up races both here and at Stratford. He has run as if the handicapper has him in his grip the last twice (though last time was at a better level that this) flashing his tail under pressure, suggesting he wasn’t in a particularly helpful mood. He is capable of better if he can be sweetened up, but from this mark he is easy enough to just watch.

5 KING ALFONSO – A winner just once from twenty-two starts, he has shown little to suggest he can play more than a minor role in this contest. It will only be his third run for the yard, but the first two have seen him easily despatched by the principals at the business end. He had been off the track for a full year before the first of them so he is entitled to strip fitter now, but it is not enough to persuade that he is capable of adding a second career win to his tally.

6 BERRY DE CARJAC – Bolted up at Stratford last week on his first run for the Grace Harris yard. A switch to front running tactics saw him belatedly break his duck at the eighteenth attempt. The seven pound penalty he carries for that success wouldn’t have been enough to stop him on that occasion so he is likely to be popular, but given his overall record he is no good thing to back up that massively improved run with one of similar quality.

7 SERVEONTIME – Wearing a tongue strap for the first time saw him produce a career best when fourth at Taunton in April. That still isn’t form to get too excited over, coming in a far weaker contest that this. That is the only time in ten career starts he has shown any sign of ability which makes him impossible to support here.