CENTARA, an impressive winner over the course on his last start, followed up in Newton Abbot's feature race, the £15,000 Par Inn Sponsors Biscovey Youth FC Handicap Chase, although a bad mistake at the fifth fence gave his backers a scare, reports David Hucker.

Despite being 10lbs higher in the handicap, Centara was a solid favourite to win again, with Jet Of Dreams, a four-time winner over fences, second best in the market. As expected, Centara set out to make all the running, but Jay Tidball had to sit tight when he made a bad mistake at the first fence in the home straight.

He soon regained his momentum, however, opening up a big lead again as the runners went out on the final circuit. It was Jet Of Dreams who came out of the pack to challenge over the last two fences, but Centara had enough in hand to score by 1½ lengths.

Breaking Cover, not seen out for 413 days, was the one that punters went for in the opening Visit Our Country Show 9th August Maiden Hurdle.

Trainer Anthony Honeyball had opted for this race rather than a later contest where Breaking Cover would have carried top weight in a handicap and jockey Sam Twiston-Davies bided his time on the 7/4 favourite as Old Bridge made the running tracked by Roadshow and Three Pikes.

Roadshow and Three Pikes went on at the third-last flight, but still Twiston-Davies waited, not mounting a challenge until the final hurdle where, despite an untidy jump, Breaking Cover put the race to bed, coming clear of his two rivals to win by two lengths.

Three Pikes, who was a bit untidy at some of the jumps on his hurdling debut, just beat the more experienced Roadshow by the minimum margin of a nose to claim second spot.

Success at the last meeting was Max Of Star's third win over the course and she was looking to add another in the newtonabbotracing.com Handicap Hurdle. She made the running until the home turn where Howth, who had won his first two races, quickly went clear and, despite carrying top weight, opened up a gap of 17 lengths to win easily.

Gore Point was sent off favourite in the Par Inn Sponsors St. Blazey CC Handicap Hurdle. to give Honeyball and Twiston- Davies a double and he duly obliged, although had to battle to overcome three-time course winner Sassified by a neck.

Again, Twiston-Davies delayed his challenge until the final flight where his mount came away the quicker and overhauled Sassified who had looked the likely winner.

Time To Bite, who headed the field for a long way when runner-up to the in-form Byzantium over hurdles last time, set a good pace in the Brunel Classic Handicap Chase. Such was his domination of the race, runner-up Great d'Ange was only just jumping the final fence as Time To Bite went past the winning post 57 lengths clear.

Queen Kate, who followed up her Doncaster win with a good run in a Class 2 contest at Aintree, was a red-hot favourite to take the closing Newton Abbot Mascot Race 20th July Mares' Open National Hunt Flat Race and she eased past Lady Kara close home to win cosily.