BLEWBURY trainer Noel Williams was glowing in his praise of Theatre Goer after her gutsy victory at Ludlow.

The eight-year-old benefited from a well-judged ride from the front by William Featherstone in an extended two-mile-sevenfurlong mares’ handicap hurdle.

Although faced with a host of dangers turning for home, the 9-2 shot dug deep to repel the late challenge of Tambura by a length and a half and register her second win under rules.

Williams, who also owns Theatre Goer, said: “She is only tiny, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in guts. She deserved that.

“That is my first winner at the track, so that is another ticked off the list.

“It was her first win under rules in more than a year, but since she has won she has run very few bad races in between.

“Will Featherstone gave her a lovely ride.”

On the Flat, East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison sent out Aurora Gray to complete a hattrick of wins with a last-gasp success at Kempton.

The four-year-old filly, who had won her previous two starts at Lingfield, got up in the final strides to pip El Campeon by a neck in a two-mile handicap and seal an 88-1 treble for George Baker, who had taken the first two races on Tilsworth Micky and Whaleweigh Station.

Compton trainer Geoffrey Deacon got off the mark for 2017 on the same card when Staplehurst opened her account in a mile-and-a-half handicap.

The four-year-old came home a length clear, Deacon putting her improvement down to a tongue-tie.