Ragamuffin, trained by Neil Mulholland and ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, made all the running in the feature Brendon Soper Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot’s final evening meeting of the year, causing a major upset in comfortably beating red-hot favourite Byzantine Empire.
Romanor, who beat Imperial Joe by a head over the course in June, returned after wind surgery to easily land the Class 2 William Hill Betting TV Handicap Chase, feature of Newton Abbot’s richly endowed seven-race card on Saturday.
San Giovanni, who had made all the running to beat market leader Biowavego at Worcester last month, was favourite to take the opening Racing Partnership Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five and a half furlongs, shortening to 4/9 before easing back to 4/7 at the off as late money came for Huelgoat.
With Biowavego franking the form when winning at Uttoxeter on Friday, San Giovanni certainly looked the one to beat, although Huelgoat, who had come back from a 160-day break to be beaten less than a length by Little Jessture in a handicap here at the beginning of the month, was receiving 7lbs.