The long dry summer has created all sorts of repercussions, even though we all enjoyed it after the grey, drab and damp winter before it. Weather conditions have ceased to follow a normal pattern, it seems, but perhaps we’re all just getting older.

At any rate, a wet and rainy afternoon with the remnants of Storm Benjamin did little for the nerves of Clerk of Course Simon Sherwood, or for jockeys riding in the seven race card at Ludlow’s second meeting of the month, making for a slippery surface instead of working its way into the ground. An inspection was held after the third, and again after the sixth, at which point stewards called time on the final event of the day.

Small fields punctuated the card once more, but as often happens in small fields with a false pace, this resulted in some nail-biting finishes. The Twiston-Davies yard is often prominent in the early months of the autumn before the big money purchases in wealthier yards get stuck in, and they made hay here also in the opener, a 2m novices hurdle. Showing himself a little novicey, Ocean Conquest was rousted along by Sam Twiston-Davies to make up a 2l deficit at the last and did just enough to hold Amancio at bay by a neck. The Twiston-Davies yard has an excellent and consistent record here these past five years – 17 winners from 98 runners, and is to be well respected, as many had recognized in his 10/11 starting price.

On to the first of two chases, in which Kit’s Cody, hailing from Emma Lavelle’s Ogbourne Maizey yard near Marlborough, was seeking a first win over fences after a season of blanks over the bigger obstacles that started 12 months previously. The seven year old overcame the conditions to win by 1 1/2l, despite slipping into the first, which did nothing for her confidence. Jonathan Burke was able to steady the ship however, and in a time nearly 21 seconds below standard, the slower pace allowed all but one of the five runners to finish.

Not so the case in the other steeplechase later in the card, a 3m novices handicap, in which the four declared runners had become three by the time they faced the starting flag. Histrionic led them along until tipping up at the sixth, leaving Pike Road to lead until he blundered and unseated at the 17th. A bemused D’Jo Dela Barriere, under Conor Ring was left to come home alone for Evan Williams and owners Baytree.

Prince de Juilley had made a quick reappearance in the 3m KLF Insurance Brokers Handicap Hurdle, having win at Stratford on Saturday last, but couldn’t capitalize on the lack of a reassessment, going down by a length to Tankardstown Diva, ridden by the Weighing Room’s tallest rider, Jack Andrews for boss Tom Ellis. The Ellis yard, whose leading horse Latenightpass is headed for November’s cross country chase at Cheltenham once again, is on a hot streak, this their third winner in the past fortnight.

Ellis had to give second best thirty minutes later, losing out by 3 3/4l in the shorter 2m 5f handicap hurdle to Ben Pauling’s Sun Joy under Callum Pritchard, who won with a little in hand.

Four mares started the mares novices’ hurdle over the same 2m 5f distance that comprised the third race. It’s proving almost impossible to run a day’s racing without a Bowen featuring in the headlines, but this time around, with Sean riding at Fontwell, it was younger brother James who won through on Gary Hanmer’s La Lolita, who made up a 2l deficit at the last to beat the Newland-Insole runner a neck to deny favourite backers  a third consecutive payout.