Sunday saw the first of 18 fixtures scheduled for Newton Abbot this spring and summer, and Devon did not have long to wait for its first winner, writes Nick Hearder.

Fade to Grey, at odds of 10-1, landed the opening Welcome Back Maiden Hurdle division one for Victor Dartnall's Barnstaple stable.

The five-year-old won on the flat but had fallen and unseated when prominent in his first two attempts over hurdles.

It was third time lucky as Fade to Grey, ridden by Christian Williams, took the lead just before two out and powered ahead for a ten-lengths victory. Runner-up was Red Lancer, a jumping debutant trained by Tom George and ridden by Paddy Brennan.

Sambulando had exactly those credentials and was second in the other division of the same race.

The winner of that race was Nearby, trained by Philip Hobbs and ridden by Richard Johnson.

Nearby was at the back of the field early on as they went a slow pace, but made smooth headway before taking over from Sambulando at the second last, winning by six lengths despite drifting in the market from 7-2 to 6-1.

The 12-year-old mare Ede'iff has had a foal and was giving upwards of three years to her seven rivals in the Car Boot Sunday Handicap Chase, but this did not stop her showing a clean pair of heels to all of them, taking the race by two lengths from mistake-prone top weight Oh Braga.

The winner is trained in Sherborne by Bill Turner.

The Newton Abbot Novices' Steeplechase, over three miles 2.5 furlongs, was the most valuable race of the afternoon with more than £5,000 to the winner. It attracted only four runners but did not lack for drama.

Quattrocento had just been headed by evens favourite Valley Ride when he made a major blunder that put paid to his chance. The favourite, who was ridden by top pilot Timmy Murphy, went on to win by five lengths from Baren de Doc, who just took second from Quattrocento.

There was a real turn up in the Next Meeting Easter Saturday Selling Handicap Hurdle, when Tonchee defied odds of 33-1.

In the hands of 7lb claimer Lee Edwards, he took over at the fifth and ran on well to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

Champion jockey Tony Mccoy had a runner in every race in which professionals could ride but had to wait till the last before getting into the winners' enclosure. He partnered Present Gesture, who is trained in County Meath, Ireland by Gordon Elliott, to win at 6-4 after a battle with Caoba.

The next meeting at Newton is on Saturday, April 11. First race is at 2.10pm.