The turf flat season had been ushered in at Doncaster two days before with a mixture of snow and sleet and, locally, punters faced a pretty miserable afternoon coping with the chilly wind and snow flurries on what is traditionally one of the course's most popular meetings.

The poor weekend weather didn't worry Derby-winning jockey Alan Munro, who returned at Doncaster after a long spell on the sidelines caused by blackouts with a winner for Newmarket trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam.

Munro was due to take the ride aboard Hart of Gold in the opener here, the Warwick Racecourse For Conferences Handicap, but his mount was one of two withdrawals, leaving 12 runners to face the starter.

The finish was fought out by the bottom three in the handicap with After The Show gaining his first win since 2005 by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths from El Potro, with Chatshow another three-quarters of a length back in third.

The second race was for maiden juvenile fillies over the minimum trip of five furlongs. Trainers Mick Channon and Bill Turner, who both have a reputation for producing early speedsters, were doubly represented in the field of 14.

Another trainer who knows the time of day with youngsters is David Evans and his She's A Shaw Thing raced up with the pace throughout before pulling away in the final furlong under Tom McLaughlin to score by an impressive four and a half lengths from Percolator.

Rebellious Spirit had chalked up four wins in his last six outings on the all-weather and been runner-up in the other two.

Punters sent Sean Curran's runner off at 3-1 favourite to land the third and Rebellious Spirit successfully transferred his winter form to the turf when putting four lengths between himself and the field. He might just improve again to defy the handicapper.

Some Newmarket trainers had boycotted a race at Great Yarmouth in protest at low prize-money and although Warwick levels weren't the best, the track benefited by a number of runners from Headquarters.

Michael Bell had three in the fourth race, the Easter Family Fun Day Maiden Stakes, but it was the unraced Magnitude from the William Haggas yard that took the first prize by a neck from Tawzeea.

The fifth was a handicap over seven furlongs and Lowry's Art made all and held on gamely by a head to defy Magical Song with Yakama a similar distance back in third.

In the finale there was another close finish with this time just a short head separating Snake Skin, ridden by Jim Crowley, and Trysting Grove.