QUEENS Venture, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Tristan Durrell, took Newton Abbot's feature race, the Class 2 Aubrey Loze Memorial Handicap Hurdle, in a thrilling finish, getting up to beat long-time leader Luttrell Lad right on the line, reports David Hucker.

Izzie Hill must have thought that she had done everything needed to win the £30,000 contest, getting some good jumps out of Luttrell Lad, but Queens Venture overcame a 9lb rise in her rating for a wide-margin win at Stratford last time, coming with a late flourish to win by a short head.

The three-year-old Manyana Blue, who had twice been placed behind the useful Dignam, including over the course last month, took the field along at a good pace in the opening Devon Air Ambulance Mares' Maiden Hurdle. She was 10 lengths clear with a circuit to go

And, although Never Told Me, who was conceding 19lbs, narrowed the gap turning for home, Manyana Blue and Sam Twiston-Davies skipped over the last two hurdles to record an easy success.

Twiston-Davies completed a double when Breaking Cover landed the John Price Memorial Chase Novices' Limited Handicap Chase to take his score to 22 for the season.

Trainer Anthony Honeyball had entered Breaking Cover in two races at the meeting, as well as at Fontwell Park the day before, and he made the right choice as Twiston-Davies delivered his mount to pass leader Centara approaching the final fence.

Centara was looking for his fifth win in a row this summer, but he couldn't repel the challenge of dual hurdles winner Breaking Cover, who hadn't distinguished himself in three previous runs over fences, but didn't put a foot wrong here, winning by 3½ lengths.

Saratoga Lass made all the running to win at Uttoxeter last time and Fern O'Brien took her into the lead again in the Harry & Peg's Silver Wedding Anniversary Novices' Hurdle.

She was tracked by hot 2/9 favourite Howth, a winner of three of his four hurdle races since joining trainer Tom Lacey, and they came to the last flight together. Just when she needed a good jump, Saratoga Lass fluffed her lines allowing Howth, who had been hard ridden up the straight by Stan Sheppard, to go clear on the short run-in and win by 1½ lengths.

Lacey and Sheppard doubled up with Turpin Gold in the Eoin Mullen Memorial Handicap Hurdle, who made it three wins this season, beating Juggernaut and Feel The Pinch.

It was Chillhi who set the early pace, tracked by Juggernaut who took the lead heading to the final two hurdles. He had been closed down by Turpin Gold approaching the last, where a good jump put the result beyond doubt.

The weather had deteriorated as the afternoon wore on and the lights on the support cars and ambulances told the tale as the runners went out for the closing On Course Bookmakers Novices' Handicap Chase. The softened ground proved no problem for Blackacre, however, who followed up his win at the last meeting, beating Unspeakable and My Girl Katie.