IRELAND’S best chance on the opening day looked to be On The Fringe, 7/4 favourite for the Randox Health Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase over the Grand National fences - a race he won last year. However, he seemed to have gone back slightly at Cheltenham and was pulled-up after both the Chair and the Foinavon caused him problems.

Victory went to last year’s runner-up Dineur, 16/1, and amateur James King, who led at the elbow and defied all of Derek O’Connor’s considerable efforts on Balnaslow.

The Grade 3 Betway Red Rum Handicap Chase provided an excellent tussle between Double W’s and Theinval, the former finding more on the run-in for Brian Hughes to score by a length.

Lightly raced over fences, Malcolm Jefferson’s Double W’s preferred this two miles to the longer trip at Cheltenham and was nicely backed at 8/1. There is more to come from him.

ROSE VICTORY

The closing Goff’s Nickel Coin Mares’ bumper, a Grade 2 affair, saw Alain Cawley build up a handy lead on 14/1 shot Dame Rose and hold the late challenge of Oscar Rose by half a length.

Winning trainer Richard Hobson said the ground at Newbury had been much too testing for the winner last time.