Timeform Radio Racing Tips: Dont Duck Decoy at Newton Abbot

David Pipe could be set for a fine day at Newton Abbot
David Pipe could be the man to follow at Newton Abbot today say's Rory Delargy as the Pond House trainer has a strong hand in both the feature races...
The best race on today's Newton Abbot card is the Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase (15:40), named in honour of one of the great corinthian riders of yesteryear, and the main credited with introducing Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother to the sport.
This year's running has been salvaged from yesterday's abandoned meeting, and will be run on unseasonably heavy ground. Most of the horses who have been set aside for the race are more used to racing on a sound surface, and only the David Pipe pair, Shoegazer and Enfant de Lune, and Rebecca Curtis' Take of Shoc's have winning form on ground they'll encounter today.
The last-named should be effective over this trip, but stopped quickly on heavy ground at Cheltenham in April (beaten 6 lengths into third having traded 1t the basement price between the last 2 fences), and his free-going ways means that he may prove best at shorter trips. The sharper track here will at least help, and he's worth considering, but Shoegazer is preferred.
Proven over 3m and beyond, he is arguably best at this sort of trip and was travelling well when unsighted and tipping up at this course last time. He's generally a sound jumper of fences given his relative inexperience, and ought to put that mishap behind him. More pertinently, he's been an impressive winner on both occasions he's encountered heavy ground, and his ability to handle conditions gives him an edge over many of today's rivals.
Pipe can land the day's other feature too (15:10), and while he goes in mob-handed with Decoy, Premier Dane, Ashbrittle and Raslan, it's the first-named of the quartet who makes much the most appeal.
Decoy lived up to his name when landing a gamble at Cheltenham in November (the yard withdrew the paper favourite in the morning) under a forceful ride, and a return to those tactics saw him return to form at Worcester last time. He beat Stage Acclaim with something to spare that day, and the handicapper seems to have underrated that performance, only raising the son of Della Francesca by 2 lbs for that win. He wore blinkers when scoring at Prestbury Park, and is now tried in cheekpieces, presumably with a view to stretching his rivals from the start again.
Track position at Newton Abbot is always important, but especially so on testing ground, when there is a strip of faster ground on the outside of the track. Expect to see Tom Scudamore heading in that direction from flagfall.
Recommended Bets
Back Decoy in the 15:10 Newton Abbot @ 6.411/2 (NAP)
Back Shoegazer in the 15:40 Newton Abbot @ 5.24/1 (NB)