Paul Townend kept it simple aboard the 1-4 favourite and judged it to a nicety to record the win whilst giving his mount as positive a reintroduction as he could. There was a moment when stablemate Janidil threatened to make a race of it, but it was short lived. Quite what he achieved is difficult to ascertain but it was a positive first step back with plenty more to come.

“It’s brilliant to get him back and his engine looks to be there,” said Townend. “He was a bit rusty early on, but I wasn’t going to rev him up.

“He’s a big horse to try and organise so you just let him do his thing. I was chatting to Rachael (Blackmore) not that long ago, as she won the Ryanair on him, and he just covers so much ground. You think you are just lobbing along but he puts other horses under so much pressure.

“He took plenty of blows today and it is hard work with everything finishing tired, but he was entitled to get tired having been off the track for so long. It’s job done and there is plenty to work on.” 

Victory was the completion of a double for Mullins and Townend as Allegorie De Vassy took the listed T.A. Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares’ Chase. This was more competitive than the feature as Instit, a stablemate of the winner, set out to make all the running. However, Townend brought the favourite with a well-timed run, and she won a shade cosily, if not impressively.

“I suppose she ended off last year poorly and couldn’t have started better this year,” said Townend. “There’s plenty to work on, and I thought the two mares (Allegorie De Vassy and Instit) ran well, and the two of them will come on for it.

“On the whole, she’s a very good jumper, but for whatever reason she just hit the first a good clout and got careful for a fence or two.

“She was beaten by a very good mare at Cheltenham, and that probably left a mark for the rest of the season — she didn’t perform. She’s back now and we’re delighted with her.” 

Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy enjoyed a profitable day, taking two of the early races, and the trainer added a third by taking the bumper.

Their Farren Glory, who won a bumper on his first start of last season, impressed in giving 8lbs to his rivals in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle. Sent off in front, he jumped well most of the way and when joint-favourite Irish Panther challenged early in the straight, that was quickly snuffed out.

Elliott and Kennedy’s second came courtesy of Stuzzikini, who came home a long way clear in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle. Kennedy bided his time before asking the 9-2 chance to go on at the second-last. He was in command when nearest pursuer Missiee departed at the last, and while he may be in for a considerable hike in the ratings, he can continue to pay his way when encountering similar conditions.

Elliott completed his treble when Rainbow Trail took the Watch Racing TV Free For 31 Days Bumper. Jockey Josh Williamson, for whom it was a second winner at the track, felt his mount didn’t travel but was taken with how he picked up in the conditions.

“He did it really well,” said Williamson. “The ground took a bit of getting and while he never really travelled for me, when I gave him a squeeze before the two pole he took off. That was very impressive on that ground.

"He is a nice horse going forwards, I’m not sure what the lads want to do with him but whatever they decide, he won't have a problem doing it.” 

Any Road, a useful sort in bumpers, made an impressive start to his hurdling career by taking the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle. The complexion of the race changed dramatically in the backstraight as odds-on favourite Theatre Native stopped quickly, but nothing should be taken from the performance of the Edward O’Grady-trained Any Road, who was in total command when second-placed Purse Price departed at the last.

The way the winner strode to the line suggests he could develop into a classy sort, particularly in testing conditions and likely over longer trips.

“It was a lot longer coming than I expected, I have to say,” admitted O’Grady. “I really hoped he’d win his bumper. I didn’t expect him to run quite as well as that today because he was just ready for a run, but I was quite impressed with him.

“I thought he might be better over a trip, but this race has superb prize money for a maiden hurdle, and he was qualified for it, so I thought we better point him in this direction. Mind you, two miles out there today … I haven’t seen it as heavy in a very long time.

“I’ll have to see where I go from here. It would be lovely if he could step up — he was impressive enough to think he could.” 

The best finish of the afternoon came in the Prior Park Service Station Clonmel Handicap Chase in which the Keith Donoghue-ridden Evies Vladimir, returning from more than 16 months off, continued the fine run of Gavin Cromwell by touching off Kings Halo.