CLASSIC winning trainer Joseph O'Brien had his first runner at the course on Newton Abbot's Family Fun Day and it proved a winning one as hot favourite Dignam overcame a scare at the final flight to take the Zero To Exit Juvenile Hurdle with ease, writes David Hucker.

A winner once from ten starts on the flat, Dignam finished fifth in a valuable handicap at the Curragh at the end of last month and owner Paul Byrne had been in the money the day before when his Ballysax Hank landed Market Rasen's valuable Unibet Summer Plate.

It was Manyana Blue, third on her debut here last month, who made the running until the second-last flight where Dignam, ridden by J J Slevin, went on and, despite pecking on landing over the final jump, he was a class above the rest with second-favourite Lord passing Manyana Blue on the run-in to take second place.

The opening Race Carl To The Bar Handicap Hurdle was a match between hat-trick seeking Sergeant Fury and Gore Point, who carried a 7lb penalty for his win over Sassified at the last meeting. The betting only went one way, with early favourite Sergeant Fury drifting as the money came for Gore Point, but it was Sergeant Fury, racing from a career-high handicap mark, who came out on top, making all the running to win comfortably.

The trip was three and a quarter miles for the Celebrating 50 Years Trading Dick Oliver Ltd Handicap Chase and it saw point-to-point winner Testflight (backed from 6/1 to 4/1) break his duck under Rules at the 23rd attempt, gaining revenge for his defeat by My Girl Katie over course and distance earlier in the month.

Great d'Ange led the field into the home straight and was still in front jumping the last fence where My Girl Katie lay down a challenge. It all changed on the run-in, however, as Testflight, trained near Exeter by Sue Gardner, was brought up the inside rail by Tabitha Worsley to pass them both.

Despite the defeat of Gore Point in the first, punters still wanted to back Sassified in the Jack Challis Turns 12 Handicap Hurdle, as he shortened from 9/4 to 11/8 to go one better this time. He could finish only third, however, as Stinginhisstep, a course winner in May, made all the running with Sean Houlihan to complete a quick double for the Gardner team.

Impecunious, who did well to make Keel Strand pull out all the stops earlier this month, stepped up in trip to take the longest race of the afternoon, the Brendon Soper Memorial Handicap Hurdle. He proved too strong for Sam's Amour, drawing clear on the run-in, with Spitalfield, who had every chance turning for home, back in third.

La Quarite, ridden by champion jockey Sean Bowen, had failed to win in 15 previous races, but was a hot favourite to take the closing Stephen Hayes 'Jagger' Memorial Handicap Chase. Punters got it right, as La Quarite was in a different league to the rest, coming home 36 lengths clear of his rivals who were headed by outsider Believe Jack.