HENRY Daly’s Chilli Filli claimed a dramatic hometown win on an exciting midweek card at Ludlow racecourse.

The clear favourite ultimately came home by a wide margin in the second race of the day on a damp, wet course where the ground was soft and heavy in places, writes Simon Burgess

However, the mare – trained by Daly at Ludlow’s Downton Hall Stables – had looked to be labouring when turning for home and needed a slice of fortune to triumph.

Leader Dame Du Soir, from the David Bridgwater yard, looked set to pick up the win but came down at the notoriously tricky fourth last fence, leaving the door open for Chilli Filli to cash in.

John Grocutt’s Star Of Rory kept up the trainer’s respectable strike rate at the course with a battling win at nice odds of 8/1 in the final race of the day, denying Daly a hometown double.

However, Daly’s runner Don Juan Du Gouet did at least bounce back to form to finish a close third after a couple of poor performances.

Earlier, another red-hot favourite, David Pipe’s Night Edition, had won the opening Plyvine Catering maiden hurdle in cosy fashion, never being extended by Tom Scudamore.

Jonjo O’Neill’s Bean in Trouble easily won the third race on the card, the Michael Lumsden Memorial Handicap Hurdle, taking up the running approaching the final flight and powering clear up the run-in.

Hijran (Henry Oliver) and Baracalu (Charles Pogson) filled the places.

Herefordshire trainer Venetia Williams was on the scoresheet when One Style won the Amateur Riders Handicap Chase, the feature race of the day.

Carrying 19lb more for his victory last time out, the horse was given an enterprising front running ride by Lucy Turner and jumped well at the head of affairs.

Copper West, with Noel George aboard, came to challenge One Style at the last but having cleverly been given a breather down the back straight, he was able to find more up the run-in to secure a five-timer and seasonal hat-trick.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls also bagged a winner from his two runners when Southfield Harvest stayed on to take the 3m maiden hurdle.

Jostling for favouritism with Nigel Twiston Davies’ Muckamore, who has Cheltenham Festival entries, Southfield Harvest was too speedy for that rival after the final flight and rewarded a stalking ride by female jockey Bryony Frost.

The last two races on the card were wide open, with Demapolis, making his chasing debut for the Phillip Hobbs establishment which does so well at Ludlow, taking the sixth race.

He took advantage of sitting off a frantic early gallop to come through late on and win going away from Cobra Commander, before Star of Rory's victory in the last.