Olly Murs concert a winner at Newbury Racecourse

Two years ago Olly Murs played the Party in the Paddock after the day’s racing at Newbury Racecourse. Three weeks previously, he had surgery after a fragment of bone became lodged in the back of his knee after he jumped into the air during his show at Newmarket Racecourse.

Olly said: “To me that whole tour two years ago felt like it wasn’t right. It felt weird, my knee wasn’t great. I was really battling through the emotions of it, and I did enjoy the show, but I was in so much pain.”

He returned on Saturday on a sunny BetVictor Hungerford Day, pain free and determined to “give it my best”. And he put on a great show for the crowd of 15,000.

Amanda Cook, from Hampstead Norreys, was among the race and concert-goers, singing along and dancing all the way through the hour-and-a-half performance amid a set of flowers and his backing band in wedding gear – the singer songwriter married his partner Amelia just four weeks ago.

His setlist was a mix of old and new songs as well as covers with a wedding vibe, including Blame it on the Boogie, Lionel Ritchie’s Dancing on the Ceiling and YMCA.

One woman was the lucky recipient of a bouquet of flowers that he threw into the crowd.

He also paid tribute to his friend Caroline Flack, telling the crowd how much he missed her and singing Sweet Caroline, with everyone joining in, touched by emotion. Just last month he’d appeared at Flackstock, the festival in her memory at Englefield.

“He gave a very energetic performance,” said Mrs Cook. “His dance routines showed no hint of the leg injury; in fact there was a lot of hip movement!”

There was much humour too, which went down well with the concert-goers.

“He referred to his last appearance at Newbury races in the August heat, when he’d asked for sun cream and a woman threw a bottle to him. He ended up with lotion in his eyes.

“He said he wasn’t going to ask again. He needed a tan instead.”

Murs ended the concert with the up tempo Troublemaker.

“It was a great finish to the day in the sunshine,” Mrs Cook added. “He asked crowd if he should come back again and all agreed… YES!”

Pictures by PHIL CANNINGS