The crowds turned out in force at a Shropshire racecourse for the first meet in nine weeks after frozen ground saw five events cancelled.

Numbers were up on this time last year as visitors turned out for the seven races at Ludlow Racecourse yesterday.

Dorcas Davies, race day operations manager, said: “We reckon we had about 1,500 people. There were quite a lot of owners and trainers – nearly 300 – and we had more than 80 runners. It was a good busy day.

“Lots of members turned up, about two thirds of them, and we were up by about 100 in paying visitors through the gate on this time last year.”

Yesterday before the event, Bob Davies, clerk of the racecourse, said this winter had been the worst he could remember in 25 years at the track. Two race meetings were called off in December and three in January.

Mr Davies said they had only had three nights between late November and January 31 when the temperature overnight had got up above freezing.

Mrs Davies said the weather had stayed dry for the afternoon despite there being rain forecast.

She added: “It was a nice day, mild. We were all glad to be back after the long break.”

The ground yesterday was described as good. There was a slight soft patch near Ludlow Golf Club, but Mrs Davies said the consensus had been that the track was in good condition.

l Full story — See StarSport