Newton Abbot preview: Collodi can collect for in-form Bridgie

Trainer David Bridgewater does well with his runners at Newton Abbot and Collodi can provide him with another success at the Devon venue by landing the 2m handicap hurdle on this evening’s card (19.30).

The in-form handler has a strike rate of just under 42 per cent at the track in the past 12 months, saddling five winners and two placed from 15 runners.

In Collodi he has a gelding who comes into the contest on the back of a career best effort over the obstacles when runner-up at Stratford seven days ago.

The six-year-old travelled strongly throughout the 2m contest before keeping on to be beaten two lengthy by Kapstadt.

Kapstadt is a thriving sort who had won his previous start in good style, and the pair pulled 13 lengths clear of the third home to give the form a solid look.

Collodi is due to go up 6lb for that run, so it’s connections have wisely decided to turn him out quickly before the revised rating kicks-in.

It means that the son of Koningstiger is ahead of the assessor, and Collodi’s current mark of 119 is 11lb lower than the initial rating he was given over hurdles.

Another plus is that Collodi is 1-1 over course and distance, and a reproduction of his latest effort is going to make him very tough to beat in the hands of Tom Cannon.

In the 2m 2f hurdle contest that closes proceedings (20.35), Rye House is a fascinating contender on handicap debut.

The gelding was a useful sort on the level when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, winning twice and being rated 98 at his peak.

Now in the care of Tim Vaughan, the six-year-old has shown little in three starts over the obstacles but starts life off in handicaps on what could be a very lenient mark of 99 judged on his flat form.