THE Aintree meeting stands in its own right but it can be viewed in conjunction with the Cheltenham Festival earlier. To what extent did it confirm Cheltenham form, and to what extent did it call into question or update it?

More of the latter than the former is the answer. On the opening day, the main races went to two horses who had departed early at Cheltenham, one who had finished in the ruck there, and one who followed up his win from one to the other.

The last-named was Pentland Hills, who landed the Grade 1 Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle by a neck from Fakir D’Oudairies, in the process repeating his 149 figure from March. It is hard to knock a gelding who has won three out of three, twice at a high level, in just a few weeks, but Pentland Hills looks an average winner of this race rather than something better.

Kalashnikov made up for his misfortune at Cheltenham by winning the opening Grade 1 Devenish Manifesto Novices’ Chase in workmanlike fashion and with a 152 timefigure, catching runner-up La Bague Au Roi not quite at her best. The winner will have to improve to challenge the best in open company next season.

Kemboy was an emphatic winner of the Grade 1 Betway Bowl Chase, making one wonder what he might have done in the Cheltenham Gold Cup had he not unseated at the first. He did get the run of things up front somewhat (106% finishing speed) but won so well that no excuses for the others should be made. He gets a 166 timefigure, good enough to have got him placed at Cheltenham.

The Grade 1 Betway Aintree Hurdle was a gruelling affair in which the finishing speed was a remarkably slow 91%. Supasundae showed real guts to prevail, helped by the shorter trip, but registered just a 146 timefigure in a race which may not prove especially solid form.

Conditions deteriorated as the card went on, but Moon Over Germany made light of them in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase, running a 151 timefigure in the process.