They say bad luck comes in threes and, sure enough, race day chaos hit Sussex course Plumpton for the third time.

The Beacon Selling Hurdle developed into a farce when one of the jockeys swerved past the third flight on the inside, knocking three more of the six runners out of the race.

Pilot Rodi Greene, attached to champion trainer Martin Pipe's yard, immediately blamed the low sun for blinding him, saying he could not see the hurdle.

He did not see eye to eye with the Plumpton stewards either. They banned him for ten days for taking the wrong course.

Punters on Greene's mount Nazzaro lost their money and so did those on Key Grip, whose rider Anthony Honeyball followed Greene and, as a result, picked up a seven-day suspension.

Bullens Bay and Lightning Star were forced round the hurdle leaving favourite Our Slimbridge to come home 12 lengths clear of his only remaining challenger Ludere.

Quick-thinking Robert Thornton, riding Lewes-trained Lightning Star, managed to do an about turn and retrace his steps to pick up third prize on Tom McGovern's charge.

The Jockey Club described the event as an extraordinary episode and there have been a couple more of those at Plumpton in recent years.

The most bizarre came after a horse fell on heavy ground at the last fence in the straight. While the remainder of the field carried on to the next circuit an ambulance was dispatched to help the faller's rider.

For some reason the ambulance chose to go down the home straight and promptly got stuck in the mud.

The runners had to swerve round it on their run to the line and the ambulance stayed put in front of the grandstand for the rest of the meeting.

Plumpton's bad luck also struck on one of its big Bank Holiday meetings when the course was plunged into darkness by a power cut.

And which firm was entertaining clients at the track after sponsoring one of the races? None other than Seeboard.

Novice chaser Mr Percy completed a four-day quartet of Findon trainer Josh Gifford runners to finish second when runner-up at Kempton. Despite the defeat he remains on course for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival where the stiffer track, stronger pace and bigger field will suit him much better.