Punters brave the rain at Ludlow

Ludlow Brewery sponsored the day so a good crowd was always guaranteed, but they would have needed something to warm their cockles in such poor weather.

The first race – the Welcome Back To Ludlow Conditional Jockeys' Handicap– was one of the more competitive of the day as James Owen’s Enthused found more improvement again to gain a narrow victory. He racked up a winning run prior to his disappointment last time out and quickly regained the winning thread here.

Ludlow doesn’t entertain many French-trained horses and Kundaline attracted plenty of support, but he was second best on his British debut as Grain Of Hope, for the Emma Lavelle stable, took victory in what looked a weak Ludlow Brewing Company Fillies' Juvenile Maiden Hurdle contest.

The French raiders had no success but the Irish raider, John McConnell, enjoyed plenty as he so often does on these shores. Young chaser, Rexem, justified his short price as he clung on to victory in the JSR Construction Industrial Concrete Flooring Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

In the next race, Lisnamult Lad was a touch more emphatic as he, too, won at cramped odds in the Margaret Roberts Memorial Novices' Hurdle.

Fergal O’Brien started the season in good form in what was a competitive four-runner JSR Construction Building And Civil Engineering Mares' Handicap Hurdle that saw Police Academy claim victory at 9/4.

Quick Draw was the most dominant winner of the day for Nicky Henderson as the well-backed favourite made all of the running in the Ludlow Brewing Company Handicap Chase. Nico De Boinville exuded confidence all the way around and victory was assured some way from home.

The finale – the Racing TV Open NH Flat Race – went the way of Bobby’s Fortune, for the Evan Williams stable, as he and eventual second Dante’s Inferno surged late to get the better of long-time leader Miss Applejack in the shadows of the post.

Racing returns to Ludlow on Thursday, October 26.