IRVING’S win apart, the afternoon on Tyneside, where the atmosphere was superb, belonged to Colin Tizzard and new stable-jockey Brendan Powell.

The long journey from Dorset paid off in spades as 10/1 chance Native River proved too good for recent Cheltenham bumper winner Definitly Red in the novices’ hurdle, Kingfisher Creek (6/1) landed the maiden hurdle and grand old character Hey Big Spender galloped home five lengths clear in the Listed At The Races Rehearsal Chase.