Waiting game pays off as uncertainty gives way to a gloriously happy ending

When you know you know. When you don't, wait. Patience is a virtue not really in keeping with the modern, information-hungry, opinion-rich, social media-driven world – but then part of Plumpton's charm has always been it has felt like stepping back in time.

Clerk of the course Mark Cornford readily conceded if he had had to make a decision at 10am the meeting would not have gone ahead. Half an hour before the delayed first race it still might have been off. By then we had had three inspections. Seamus Mullins had walked the course four times.

The frost was coming out of the ground and many of those who had earlier been reluctant were warming to the idea of racing. As they came in Nico de Boinville, who as it turned out had all his rides withdrawn, gave the first positive sign when he said: "It should be fine," on his way back in. Yet we waited.