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.