THESE are early days, but there may be few better beginners’ chases in the whole season than the one won by Laurina from Minella Indo at Gowran last Saturday, both of them past Cheltenham Festival winners.

They ran pretty fast against the clock, as well, with Laurina 2.5s (at least 10 lengths) quicker than Getabird was in the preceding Carlow Chase, a differential she more or less sustained from five out.

Laurina gets a 145 timefigure, which, with her mares’ allowance, underlines just what a potent force she should be in this sphere, while Minella Indo was very nearly as promising in running to 144. Getabird achieved more on paper but less on time in returning a 129 timefigure compared to his 148 last term. The Carlow Chase form may not prove to be the most watertight.

That may also be true of the Boomerang Chase at Thurles on Thursday, won easily by Footpad, but I make this a smart time – timefigure of 156 – from a horse who managed 171 not that long ago and would prefer to view it positively.

Sinoria made a pleasing debut over fences in the preceding mares’ maiden, storming to success by 12 lengths and recording a 135 timefigure in the process.

Sinoria’s trainer, Henry de Bromhead, has made a fine start to the season, and he turned out Chris’s Dream for a most taking victory in the 23-runner Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan last Sunday. The seven-year-old could well make his mark at a higher grade after racking up a 160 timefigure in scoring by wide margins under a big weight.

Cash Back was another good novice chase winner, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding bagging a 144 timefigure at the first time over the larger obstacles.

Fury Road faced an easy task in the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle following the defection of his stablemate Abacadabras and duly obliged, but in a pedestrian time (nearly 10.0s slower than the opening maiden) worth only 64 on the face of it.