El Capitaine Steals the Show at Newton Abbot in £30,000 Dartmoor Magazine Chase

There was another big Newton Abbot crowd for this year’s renewal of the £30,000 Dartmoor Magazine Intermediate Chase, run over a trip of two miles and five furlongs, and it proved a day to remember for Somerset trainer Kayley Woollacott as 6/1 shot El Capitaine came out on top.

There was nothing between Quebecois and Country Mile in a tight betting market and they were sent off the 5/4 joint favourites. After Country Mile had fallen at the 10th fence, it was Quebecois who came to the final jump with a seemingly unassailable lead, but he had no answer to El Capitaine who came up the inside rail to collar him on the run-in.

Uttoxeter winner Trigg, trained by Dan Skelton, and Taunton winner Mecene dominated the betting and the race in the opening British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, finishing in market order with 8/13 favourite Trigg, who took up the running with a circuit to go, having eight lengths to spare at the line.

Dual winner Misterdoc was the Skelton representative in the following £15,000 Konsileo Local Award Winning Commercial Insurer Handicap Hurdle and he headed the market from hat-trick seeking Mister Ursus.

Misterdoc found one too good for him as Intellotto and conditional jockey Robbie David poached what proved to be a decisive lead approaching the penultimate flight, holding on to deny the favourite and Mister Ursus on the short run-in.

The Skelton-trained Playful Fox, having his second run over fences, got favourite backers back on track when winning the Bet With The On Course Bookies Handicap Chase beating Another Folly, with chasing debutant Reteti in third.

Held up by Harry Skelton, Playful Fox made steady progress to join Another Folly between the final two fences before jumping into the lead at the last and going away on the run-in.

Seven-time winner Beorma, pulled up at Stratford when reappearing after a break, returned to the smaller obstacles in the 1st Office Print And IT Solutions Handicap Hurdle, but couldn’t add to the Skelton total, finishing fourth.

It was Norman Fletcher who was sent off favourite, but he was to be placed again as Mount Anglesby, who was going well when falling at Hereford last time, made all the running under Joe Anderson to give Lambourn trainer Tom Britten his third winner under Rules.

Exeter trainer Sue Gardner saddled two in the longest race of the afternoon, the DGM Robotic Mowers Conditional Jockeys Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles, and they fought out the finish with Uttoxeter winner Daring Plan, ridden by Ciaran O’Shea, beating course winner Testflight by 1½ lengths.

There was not much form to go on in the closing Sky Sports Racing Open National Hunt Flat Race, but Duhallow Storm, fourth over the course on his debut, made his experience count when beating newcomer Havanotherguinness by a head in the closest finish of the afternoon.