'No-one's wearing the beanie hats – we'll have to give out ice cream next year'

Christmas tradition at Chepstow in recent years has been more about logistics and weather forecasts than turkey and mince pies, following cancellations and subsequent rearrangements, but this time track officials could rest easy.

There was no will-it-won't-it-be-on saga around the course's most important event and the weather gods were kind, producing a pleasant December afternoon that left the 1,000 blue beanie hats Coral dished out to racegoers redundant.

"No-one's wearing them," says the firm's David Stevens, who soon works out why. "It's the mildest I've known on this day – we'll give out ice cream next year."