IT’S the first Cheltenham meeting of the new National Hunt season where so many owners, trainers and jockeys will have high hopes and have dreamed of this afternoon — also looking way ahead to the Festival meeting in March 2022 — yet so few will be fulfilled.

The big handicap chase at 2.20, over an extended three miles, is one of a number of big betting races on the cards, with the beaten Grand National favourite Cloth Cap at the top of the weights off a mark of 156, who ran at Aintree from a mark of 148.

Absolutely cantering after Bechers Brook second time around, he then inexplicably fell into a hole, which was accounted for by a breathing problem that connections have tried to put right with an operation.