Race type - Jump
Exeter
Course details
GUIDE - For Racecourse
Right-handed, jump, hilly, elliptical circuit of 2m.
Exeter is Britain's highest racecourse at 850 feet above sea level and on a clear day the views of the Devon countryside are breathtaking. The racing action matches up too and there's always a chance racegoers will get to see a future champion in action as the track is seen by trainers as a great place to run a novice as part of their education. Henrietta Knight once described it as the "best non-Grade 1 track in the country" and her triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate started out here - sadly, it was also the scene of his last race as he died in action during a race in 2005. The racing takes place on 'Haldon Hill', which explains the undulations, and the locals still refer to it as 'Haldon Races', which is useful to know if you have to stop to ask for directions!
Principal Races
Prize money is generally good here and that encourages the better horses to compete. Indeed, some of the best 2m chasers in the land start their campaigns in the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup Chase, which is still run on a Tuesday in November, bucking the recent trend to run all the big races at weekends. To back that up, there are plenty of Class 2/3 novice chases throughout the season, and the winners nearly always turn out to be better than average. The Devon National Handicap Chase is run over a gruelling 3m6f in early March and if the ground is testing (it usually is at that time of year) there are few finishers.
Course Characteristics
The ups and downs of Exeter don't suit every horse but the track is considered to be a fair test and just about every type of horse can win if good enough. The biggest dip is down the back straight with horses having to negotiate a steep descent of one furlong, before a reciprocal one furlong climb - it has to be seen to be believed. Measuring 2m in circumference with gradual, sweeping bends, nothing happens too quickly for a horse and even the fences (11 on the chase course) are relatively easy. All are situated on either level or slightly uphill ground and are well-spaced out, so horses are able to get into a good rhythm - perfect for a novice chaser. The half mile home straight is uphill and that brings stamina into play but the race is as good as over after jumping the last as there is a very short run-in of 300 yards.
Top Trainers
As you'd expect for its location, it's the top West Country stables of Paul Nicholls and Phillip Hobbs that dominate here. Hobbs has trained more winners (45) in the past five seasons than Nicholls (39), but the latter can boast the better strike rate of 30%. David Pipe trains in Somerset so it's a short journey for him and he is frequently amongst the winners, although a strike rate of 10% tells you he sends out plenty of losers too and his winners tend to go off at short prices. You would do better following Victor Dartnall and Alan King as they have been operating at around 20%. The small stable of Jeremy Scott is another to look out for.
Top Jockeys
The success of Hobbs is mirrored by his stable jockey Richard Johnson, with 39 winners and counting in the last five seasons at a good strike rate of 22%. Champion jockey Tony McCoy usually sends favourite backers home happy, with his 23 winners yielding a small level stakes profit. Robert (Choc) Thornton rides the majority of the Alan King-trained winners and he's been profitable to follow too. A mention also goes to Nick Schofield (15 winners / 16%) who rides for Paul Nicholls and doesn't always get the credit he deserves.