Halloween fun on the final day of racing season at Newton Abbot

The Dan Skelton bandwagon continues to roll and he notched a treble at Newton Abbot’s Halloween Family Fun Day to make it 121 winners for the season as he seeks to beat Martin Pipe’s long-standing record of 243.

Skelton introduced a potentially smart recruit to hurdling in the opening St Austell Brewery Novices Hurdle in the shape of Vango Can Go, last seen out when finishing eighth, beaten by just 4¾ lengths, in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Punters were in no doubt that he would transfer that form to hurdles at the first time of asking, sending him off the hot 1/4 favourite, and he made all the running to beat Crystal Orchard comfortably by 12 lengths.

Skelton also had the favourite in the Wollens Full Spectrum Law Handicap Hurdle with hat-trick seeking Real Quartz, who replaced three-time hurdle winner Vol Royale at the head of the market.

Punters got it spot on, as they finished in market order with Real Quartz showing great determination to collar Vol Royale, who had set out to make all the running, near the line.

Dorset trainer Joe Tizzard has been in fine form of late, sending out nine winners in the last two weeks, and he added to his score when Star Of Affinity became the third winning favourite of the afternoon in the Brewers Decorating Centres Albany Derby Female Jockeys Handicap Chase, giving rider Lilly Pinchin her fourth course win.

Dual French hurdle winner Paddockwood, pulled up on his last start for trainer Ben Pauling, got off the mark in Britain when making a winning stable debut for Skelton in the Passage House Hotel South Devon Gateway Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Qualifier), getting the better of Eton Mes on the run-in, with All Well And Good in third.

This brought up jockey Harry Skelton’s 113th winner of the season as he extended his championship lead.

Devon trainer Chester Williams, who had a good first season with 11 winners, notched his third of the current campaign when The Four Sixes carried 12-2 to victory in the Persimmon Homes Handicap Chase, leading into the straight and holding on to beat Klic Boum and Opening Bid in another exciting finish where less than two lengths covered the three.

Mask Of Zorro, four times a winner over hurdles, gave Tizzard a double when making a winning debut over fences in the Sky Sports Racing Novices' Handicap Chase. Backed from 9/2 to 5/2, Mask of Zorro made all the running to see off favourite Badbury Rings by four lengths.

Par Avion, runner-up at Taunton, was made favourite to get off the mark in the closing Thank You & Farewell Dr Tim Tilsley Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race and he duly obliged, beating Straw Merchant and the pace-setting Storm Cracker to bring the curtain down on the 2026 season.