McEvoy, sent off an 11-2 chance, led the field approaching the fourth-last fence and ran on strongly to beat Stan by five lengths.

Williams said: “Everyone keeps writing us off because we have not had a winner since the last meeting here three weeks ago, but there have been plenty of hard-luck stories.

“All we are waiting for is the ground to improve and we should have plenty of winners.”

The Fred Winter Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival looks certain to be top of the agenda for Doubly Guest after an impressive debut in the Bull Ring Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s recruit was following in the shoeprints of Punjabi, who won this race last year on his way to a fourth in the Triumph Hurdle and a place at Aintree before winning at Punchestown.

Bought at the Horses In Training Sales at Newmarket from George Margarson, Doubly Guest showed plenty of resilience between the last two flights after being headed by Paul Nicholls’ new recruit Pierrot Lunaire.

She gamely rallied to win by half a length at 11-2, with the rest 12 lengths adrift.

Henderson said: “We will have to get two more runs into her for the Fred Winter, but that would seem to the logical step.

“This looked a decent race and it has thrown up some decent horses in the past. There is not much of her, but she jumps well and is keen enough.”

Julie Weston celebrated her first winner under Rules – but she had to leave her Irish base to achieve it.

Chinara (33-1) landed the Stokesay Mares Only Handicap Hurdle by two lengths from Nakoma after taking up the running three flights from home.

It was a real family affair as the horse is owned and was bred by the trainer’s father John and Julie, who trains in Killenaule near Tipperary, led the horse up.

Mr Weston said: “It is the first time that Henry Oliver has ridden her and he was able to get her settled much better. We came to Ludlow because we kept being balloted out in Ireland.”

Matuhi (15-8 favourite) fulfilled the promise of his debut run at Leicester nearly three weeks ago when winning the Leebotwood Novices Hurdle.

Running in the colours made famous by Willsford, Matuhi was always travelling strongly and led two flights from home.

Trainer Ben De Haan said: “He was still a bit keen and he did not settle, but he got the trip and I think he will be a nice horse.”

Richard Lee has his team in good form and Cottingham (6-1) maintained that run in the Church Stretton Handicap Hurdle.

Lee has had a couple winners over the last week as well as placed horses and he revealed: “He should have gone to Cheltenham on Saturday but he had a slight injury and we pulled him out.

“He is a lovely fun horse to have in the yard and he has done that well.”

Climate Change upped the temperature when getting back on the winning track after a tremendous tussle with Kervriou in the Dinham Beginners’ Chase.

Probably helped by the runner-up not producing as much as once anticipated in the closing stages, the 12-1 winner took the verdict by a short head, with Arkle entry French Saulaie a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third place.

Trainer Venetia Williams is one of the 15-strong syndicate that makes up The Weather Girls, owners of the six-year old, and she said: “At one stage, I did think that we were going to get done. He did well enough first time out, but he was a bit disappointing at Exeter last time.”

The biggest shock came in the Wedding Receptions at Ludlow Flat Race which went to 80-1 shot King Edmund.

The Tote paid out nearly 130-1 on the five-year-old, who ran on strongly to win by one and half lengths with the two hotpots, Finney and Predictive, running for minor honours only.

Trainer Chris Gordon said: “He was hunting when he was three and jumps a fence really well.”