And then there was one!
After downpours of near Biblical proportions seemingly lasting days on end, Bitterley proved the only surviving meeting on Saturday following a weather ravaged week.
As late as Friday afternoon the meeting taking place hinged very much on what happened overnight but fortunately there were no significant cloudbursts and racing went ahead.
However, conditions were not only testing for the horses contesting the seven-race card but also for a very healthy turnout of racegoers crowd who braved the mud throughout the afternoon.
The opening Members contest proved to be racing's version of Family Fortunes with rider Guy Sankey driving out Bestfriend Barney to take the spoils from No Dice in the colours of his grandfather Brian Orchard.
The seven-year-old is trained by Caroline Robinson who said:" Brian lives locally and also bred the horse which is even more exciting for him as he was runner-up in the corresponding race 12 months ago on very fast ground."
She added:" He was just a big awkward baby when he first came to us but he is obviously getting better with age as he is seven now and the penny seems to have dropped as far as what is expected of him in races."
Only four went to post for the Conditions Race but it turned into a ding-dong battle as Forest Chimes got the better of a sustained duel with Accordini by half-a-length after the pair had locked horns from some way out.
The winner proved be rider Toby McCain-Mitchell's 12th career winner. He is attached to winning trainer Philip Rowley's yard and confided it was a relief to get another winner on the board after a couple of luckless recent fallers and near misses.
Winning owner Diana Williams said: "The horse needs cut in the ground however I must admit I was 50/50 about running him if it was very testing but he has followed up his recent Bangor-On-Dee victory in good style."
When asked where Forest Chimes might run next, Williams immediately commented: "The Members Race at Chaddesley Corbett in a fortnight's time looks the right race as it's on our doorstep so it makes sense."
In his own words, Droitwich-based Max Young has had a season to forget but the cosy victory of Tommy The Tank in the Maiden Race gave him reason to see light at the end of the long tunnel.
Ridden by Huw Edwards, the son of Getaway was always up with the pace and showed a very willing attitude in the underfoot conditions to see off the attentions of Gentleman Sam by six lengths.
Young said: "It's been frustrating for as the horses have all been sick or had little niggles and it's been what can only be called a character building few months but hopefully now we have turned the corner
"This horse is well related to a couple a few winners and there was nothing wrong about the way he went about his business there. He will be off to the Sales now."
A mid-week workout under owner-trainer Jane Allfrey did the trick for Dr Oakley as he stretched to a couple of lengths clear of Sunset Showdown on the run to the line to seal the Mixed Open contest.
Allfrey was understandably all smiles when welcoming back her charge and said: "He simply took off with me on the gallops on Wednesday so I knew he was in great heart ahead of this race
"I hoped he was finding his form again when he was second to Salvatore at Shelfield Park last month and that run has brought him to the boil even though I suspect the ground would have been as testing as he really wants."
There were more broad smiles in the winner's circle after Buster Edwards, ridden by Josh Parker, showed too much tenacity after the final fence for Collooney to take the Restricted Race.
Parker said: "That's my second career success and I work in Phil Rowley's yard. I could not be more pleased for the horse as he jumped really well and always travelled nicely in the conditions."
Punters who latched on to 1/2 favourite Yippee Ki Yay in the Restricted Race soon knew their fate as the five-year-old ducked out at the fourth fence. Luckily both horse and jockey Milo Herbert were reportedly none the worse for the incident.
The spoils eventually went the way of the James Ridley-trained Olly Norse who was ably assisted by Tommie O'Brien.
All sorts of shapes and sizes went to post for the concluding bumper and it was Just Aidan who emerged the winner after getting the better of Musique De Fee by a length.
STAR PERFORMANCE
Clerk of the course Jim Squires and his ground staff along with the committee whose hard work and positive attitude ensured that the meeting was given the green light despite the unwanted attentions of the weather.