THIS is the first of these National Hunt weekends, the first of the seven weekends of deep, deep National Hunt immersion that take you up to Christmas.

The Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal today, and the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree, and the Badger Beer Chase and the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton, followed by the Paddy Power Cork Grand National tomorrow at, well, Cork.