A winning Easter at Newton Races

All kinds of people enjoy a day at the races, and for all kinds of reasons.

From the seasoned connoisseur, studying the form and conditions, to the first-time visitor using their favourite number as the solitary betting inspiration, or those who just love to get dressed up for a banging day out.

I sit in the bracket slightly above first-time visitors, my race-day experiences are only just creeping toward double digit visits and knowledge of the horses is virtually zero, but I do know the names of the leading trainers and jockeys.

And best of all, I have figured out the betting ring protocol.

Rocking up to Newton Abbot Races for the Easter Saturday meeting, there was an air of quiet confidence in our group of 12, six adults and six kids, absolutely ticking the box of a brilliant family day out.

Within that group of 12, my family of four was sandwiched between an experienced racing quartet and the first-time visitors.

Paddock tickets were our choice, and at such amazing value of £18 per adult (kids are free) when purchased online, we immediately set off to see the horses parading ahead of the first race.

The younger members of our group gasped in awe at these magnificent beasts strutting in preparation for their challenge ahead, and the buckets of rain South Devon endured on Good Friday meant it would be heavy going for the horses and jockeys.

Bets were placed, my personal strategy was a limit of £10 per race (that didn’t last), and the non-driving members of our group clasped their opening beverages of the day.

In that first race, the favourite Walk On High, trained by Harry Fry, coasted to victory. My two each-way choices were well down in the pack.

No worries, straight into the betting queue for the next race, and the atmosphere was already building beautifully, as racegoers settled into their second (or third, or fourth) round of beverages.

My choice was the wonderfully-named El Bandido Pancho (trained by Ben Clarke), another favourite, and he held off the fighting challenge of Military Tycoon to secure my first win of the day.

Some of our group opted to place their bets online before the big day but, I know it sounds a tad mercenary, my preference is to deal in cold hard cash. There is a buzz when you get to the front of the betting queue, clasping your winning ticket, which is swiftly exchanged for money, and then promptly place bets for the next race.

No joy for me in the next one, as the Daisy Hitchens-trained Pooroldmackley galloped to victory, but we had reached a point in the afternoon where our viewing platform was established, positioned neatly between the final jump and the finishing line, an area that also provides a clear view of the big screen.

My more experienced racing buddies had not been to Newton in many years, their home course is Taunton, but they have been to all the big ones, Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National at Aintree and Royal Ascot….they know their stuff.

It was, therefore, a moment of regional pride when they exclaimed how impressed they were with Newton Abbot Races. The views are superb, you can see the whole course from most vantage points, and our younger members were enthralled by the extraordinary thudding noise as the horses raced past.

The success of the day was showcased by Newton Abbot Races CEO John Baker, who said: “We were delighted to get the day on, the team did a terrific job with the ground and the preparations to put on an exciting and thrilling day’s racing.

“There was a great buzz about the place and the band after racing went down very well. We had a brilliant crowd of just over 5,500 and the sun even popped out at the end of the day.”

Race number four was poetry in motion, as my choice ‘John Betjeman’ cruised to a win. After four races, my wallet had the same girth as when the day had started, and that included a round of burger and chips for the offspring.

Three races to go, and the next one was the feature event. The Plymouth Motor Company Handicap Chase started at 4.19pm, a point in the afternoon where much of the crowd was suitably well-oiled.

I went for Scarface, not because it was the second favourite, just a cool name, and it soon became obvious that the majority of Newton Abbot had done the same, so when our four-legged Pacino held off the challenges in a thrilling end to the race, the noise was one of deafening joy.

Previous visits to the races had yielded very little success but this was clearly my day. PuddlesinthePark, pulled clear over the last hurdle to give me another win in the penultimate race.

Incredibly, I still had one to go, as Moonset delivered a fantastic late rally to defeat the favourite Coconut Twist. What a day, wallet bulging and 12 happy people trudged home from a superb day of sporting entertainment.

Unfortunately, my call to Zurich was put on hold, dreams of a hedge fund and downpayment on a super yacht were exchanged for enough Chinese takeaway to feed a small island nation and dog food supplies for the next month.

Get on down to Newton Races for a great day out!

The 2025 Racing Fixtures in Newton Abbot
May 7 – Midweek Racing
May 14 – Midweek Racing
May 28 – All About the Horse Family Day
June 4 – Midweek Racing
June 13 – Evening Racing
June 24 – Ladies Evening
July 4 – Friday Racing
July 14 – Monday Racing
July 20 – Family Day
August 21 – Family Day
August 30 – Saturday Racing
September 9 – Tuesday Racing
September 19 – Friday Racing
September 29 – Monday Racing
October 18 – Saturday Racing
October 29 – Family Day