King's ace Yanworth has plenty of class but he remains an enigma to me

You cannot expect to stage a fresh West End smash hit every time you open the curtains.

There was a curiously muted air to the 2018 bully-off at Cheltenham yesterday, with the crowd down by 6,000 and the customary spark and zing missing almost as if the old place was filling its lungs for greater days ahead.

A warm-looking renewal of the Dipper Novices Chase – a race with plenty of good performers on its honour roll – went to the very decent Yanworth, but he made it look hard work idling up the hill to hold off the grinding-on Sizing Tennessee by a laborious-looking neck.