IN FRONT of a bumper Easter crowd, Scarface competed a Newton Abbot double for trainer Joe Tizzard and jockey Freddie Gingell when landing the feature £20,000 Happy 45th Birthday Andy Hurtley Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs, writes David Hucker.

With Calymistic and Kap Quest both absentees, six were left to contest the feature race with five-time chase winner Bumpy Evans heading a tight betting market. Last seen out in October, Bumpy Evans raced keenly in the lead, tracked by Scarface, but gave way at the penultimate fence as Royal Jewel joined in to fight out the finish. Quicker away from the final fence, Scarface pulled clear on the run-in to give Gingell his 24th winner of the season and a double after the earlier success of Reel Orange.

There was an interesting betting market for the opening South West Rail Solutions Ltd. "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle with Dutch Corner, who had been as short as 10/11, drifting in the face of support for Limier d'Arthel and Dante's Rocco. Runner-up at Exeter last time, Dutch Corner, who was sent off the 6/4 favourite, made every yard of the running in the hands of Tristan Durrell, jumping well to comfortably beat Handmedownastar and Limier d'Arthel.

Durrell and trainer Dan Skelton also went on to complete a double when Top Guy forged clear of Call Me Legend between the last two flights to take the long-distance South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Handicap Hurdle This was Durrell's 46th winner of the campaign and put him three ahead of the injured Freddie Gordon in the race to succeed Gingell as champion conditional jockey.

With Palawan Du Mazet and Devilsrollthedice both absentees, it was the consistent Begin The Luck, twice a winner this season, who headed the market for the Les Drew Hello Matey I'M 80 Handicap Chase. Ideallko and the locally-trained Firefly Lane set the pace, with Begin The Luck held up but, approaching the final fence, Jack Doyen was clearly travelling best of all and he followed up his recent Hereford win to beat Ideallko by 2¾ lengths.

Back in third place was Jack's A Legend, whose winning chance went with a blunder at the penultimate fence, and owner/jockey Imogen Mathias was hoping for better luck on course winner Parikarma in the following South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Mares' Handicap Hurdle. They could only finish fifth, however, behind the Tizzard-trained Reel Orange, who collared leader Northern Air at the final flight and showed the better speed on the run-in to score by a length.

The biggest field of the afternoon lined up in the closing Newton Abbot On Course Bookmakers Fillies' "Junior" National Hunt Flat Race with the betting suggesting newcomer Agreymiracleseeker was the one to be on. The race went to another newcomer in Seedling who, ridden by Bryan Carver, wore down Frenati near the finish to bring up Dorset trainer Ben Clarke's 12th winner of the season, a career best.

Racing returns to the course on Tuesday 14th when the first race is scheduled for 2.33pm.