This meeting is unlikely to have much influence on future form, other than telling us to avoid any horse reappearing quickly, due to the freakish weather conditions. Walking up from the station forty minutes before racing, with lots of standing water on the track and gales raging across the track, the prospects for racing going ahead seemed bleak - on safety grounds. However, with ten minutes until the first, the winds began to abate, enough to go ahead, and although there were gusts and showers after that, the trend line on the weather graph was broadly positive in direction. The jockeys unsurprisingly took things very steady in the early events, and whilst their confidence increased in the course of the afternoon, the last two races were over more than three miles, so every event became all about surviving.

It was a day of statistical novelty. Plenty of racegoers had been in Negative Nelly mode and not shown up, as had many bookies, as only five were on course, a record low. Matt Batchelor had in recent years been 0/19 in chases here, but won one. Daryl Jacob, in contrast, was 6/19 in chases but lost two of them. Jamie Goldstein had three rides - all were non-runners. Is there a documented record for the most booked rides to be non-runners at one meeting?

Going: Soft (heavy places, looked waterlogged...)

Race 1: Visit Skybet.com for all Cheltenham Offers Novice Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Wheres Johnny     2: Forest Silver     3: Go Johnny Go

Winner owned: CJS Racing Partnership, trained: Jamie Poulton, ridden: Mattie Batchelor

Forest Silver and Go Johnny Go set very civilised pace but the field became strung out a long way from the end of the race. Go Johnny Go weakened rapidly from about the third last, leaving Forest Silver with a commanding lead. Wheres Johnny did not appear to be closing the gap quickly enough, but the horse in front found the end of his tether lay between the last couple of flights, and might need better ground to put his best foot forward. You Know Bridie was fourth, her best performance to date, but quite what it all adds up to is less familiar to us than Bridie. 

Race 2: Festival Fever at Skybet.com Novice Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Jades Double     2: Buckland Gold     3: Sou'wester

Winner owned: Mr JD Brownrigg, trained: Michael Madgwick, ridden: Marc Goldstein

None of the four runners had an encouraging profile, and this was about as far removed from Festival Fever as can be imagined. Perhaps Deluge Delirium at best. Sou'wester (never could there have been a more appropriate name for  the moment) had flopped twice since winning here, Jades Double is a very in and out performer who has yet to convince as a chaser, Buckland Gold ended a career of enthusiastic win avoidance by landing a poor race here and Rinnwood Lass had shown next to nothing to date. So it came down to a monstrous ride from Marc Goldstein to force Jades Double home. She had led most of the way with apparently great reluctance, forcing him to push and scrub for most of the race. When she was headed four out and dropped a few lengths back, it all looked over for her, but the rider would not give up and the first three were back in a bunch two from the finish. Sou'wester quickly cracked, and Buckland Gold was outbattled on the run-in. Rinnwood Lass was fading when she fell five out. 

Race 3: Skybet.com Cheltenham Specials Novice Hurdle [2m]

1: Poseidon's Secret     2: Ardmaddy     3: Ardesia

Winner owned: Mr Hugh Villiers, trained: Charlie Mann, ridden: Kevin Tobin

Poseidon's Secret was the first winner of the day go pass the line looking as if he had anything more up his sleeve, which was ironic as the most likely excuse for his initial hurdling underachievement was not handling soft ground. Of course, whether he actually relished it or simply hated it less than the oppo remains to be seen - the latter rings true. Ardmaddy had been third twice, once in a fair race, once in a poorer one, and probably replicated the form seen up to that point. Fantastic Morning won  two year old maiden at Bath over 1m 2f, but had shown nothing in a very light subsequent career. The way he kept on after being detached three out suggested that he is getting back to the best of whatever ability remains.

Race 4: Skybet Pricewise Guarantee At Cheltenham Handicap Chase [2m 1f]

1: Najca De Thaix     2: Carly Bay     3: Idiome

Winner owned: Les Trois Amis, trained: Emma Lavelle, ridden: Mattie Batchelor

This was one of the most weather proof bets of the day, as although I could not spot any evidence on how Najca De Thaix might act in strong wind, he does seem to handle most ground and any trip up to 2m 5f. He was the only one on the bridle after the final ditch and a very easy winner. Carly Bay had never managed to beat another finishing horse in a chase, and only had Idiome finishing behind her this time, so it is not exactly a massive leap forward, even if it is better than normal, and a modest celebration of her 20th appearance at Plumpton. On his first run in thirteen months, Idiome did not jump well enough to compete. After a promising debut for his new yard, Polished was not at all in the mood and was detached before halfway. He did have the best name on the card: by Danzig Connection, out of Glitter.

Race 5: skypoker.com Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Ede's     2: It's Rumoured     3: Just Beware

Winner owned: Ede's (UK) Ltd, trained: Pat Phelan, ridden: Harry Skelton

On the back of a considerable spell in the doldrums, Ede's has now completed a hat trick, and won this with a huge comfort zone, only having the well backed It's Rumoured challenging three out, and that threat faded soon after. The answer was in the form book, as the horse Ede's beat narrowly last time, Glad Big, had won either side of that race. Mount Benger and Canni Thinkar had also been with the winner going into the rail turn, but neither are renowned for having an appetite for hard work, and the indomitable but not entirely rapid Just Beware ran on into the frame. 

Race 6: Bet and Watch at Skybet.com Handicap Chase [3m 2f]

1: Amoreigh     2: Fisherman Jack

Winner owned: Mr JP Cooke, trained: Peter Bowen, ridden: Tom O'Brien

Anyone prepared to get to Plumpton from Haverfordwest on a day like this deserves a break and Amoreigh (only previous place came over 2m 4f at Down Royal), opened his account at the ripe old age of eleven, turning around two runs behind Monsieur Georges for which he was WORSE off at the weights today. Roddy The Vet made the running, but he has historically avoided bad going, and after a mistake five out, his jumping failed to convince. He was a distant second when not having the energy to put out the landing gear at the last. This left Fisherman Jack about a furlong and a half behind in second. The others had an eventful time. Monsieur Georges lost interest four out, Victree jumped right until the saddle slipped under his belly, Hercules Morse jumped right until deemed unsteerable, moderately well backed Miss Doublet raised the white flag after one fence, but struggled on for almost a lap and Carriage Ride refused at the 12th, leaving Philip Hide sitting on the fence, which he probably was thinking he should have done when aborting his booked trip to Taunton.

Race 7: Skybet Press Red To Bet On ATR Handicap Hurdle [3m 1.5f]

1: Geography     2: Pitful Tercah     3: Benedict Bay

Winner owned: Homewoodgate Racing Club, trained: Paddy Butler, ridden: Robert Lucey-Butler

This trip takes some getting at the best of times, and this was not one of them. Geography was not proven to stay this far, but he has at least been running quite well of late, and he joined pace setter Pitful Tercah two from home, powering clear afterwards. The runner-up was a long way clear of Benedict Bay, and they both were down to a walk crossing the line. Double's Daughter deserves a creditable mention for being the only other one to finish. Favourite Maori Legend was one of the first under pressure, and having been runner-up over course and distance on heavy ground, she did not have any obvious excuse.

Plus Points

Wheres Johnny (race 1): Has been billed by trainer Jamie Poulton as a staying chaser of the future, and he certainly shaped like one today.

Fantastic Morning (race 3): Might have a seller in him, as he showed some talent on the flat.

Salinas (race 4): Unseated today. His record with 11-8 or more (he was top weight, less Charlie Poste's 3lb claim) is one of routine failure, and he is not built to lug big burdens around, especially in the mud. He does not win often, but look for him to be lower down the racecard.

Roddy The Vet (race 6): Will need plenty of recovery time, but showed that a race on decent ground may come his way soon

Down Arrows

Go Johnny Go (race 1): Even if forgiving this run, he has still been broadly disappointing over hurdles.

Jades Double (race 2): Won because the jockey would not let her lose, but the ground had come heavily in her favour and it is guesswork whether she will reproduce this.

Carly Bay (race 4): Six chases: second of four (2 finished), sixth of six, pulled up, fifth of five, pulled up, second of seven (three finished).