Mount Ida begins her climb to the Grand National summit with Listed win

Thursday: Clonmel

One of the highlights of last season was the most unlikely success of Mount Ida in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, and the Gordon Elliott-trained mare got her season off to a fine start by landing the Listed T A Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase.

The daughter of Yeats made all under Davy Russell. The former champion got his fractions correct and, with a sound round of jumping with the exception of the last, she convincingly accounted for market rival Scarlet And Dove by four and a quarter lengths.

Elliott was represented by assistant Lisa O'Neill, who said: "The main aim is the Grand National. She got a bit of a fright early on in the Kim Muir, but she showed the talent she had the way she won it so decisively. That was a nice performance today."

Hassett's reserve lands gamble

There was a glint in the eye and a hearty laugh from veteran Clare trainer Donie Hassett. "Today was the day," he said after first reserve Sunnyvilla was backed from 25-1 down to 3-1 favourite for the 2m4f handicap chase, and there really was not very much doubt about the result from a long way out.

The Mustameet gelding, in his first handicap having been beaten a total of 177 lengths in a trio of beginners' chases last season, was pulling rider Philip Enright's arms out going across the top, and any fears that he would find less than expected were allayed as he travelled to the front after two out to beat Presenting Point by five lengths.

"I was expecting a good run," said Hassett. "He disappointed us in the spring, but all of my horses were sick. But he came in a different horse. He won a schooling hurdle at Tipperary, and the lad that rode him said he would take the beating with his rating wherever we went. He came on a lot over the summer."

Sunnyvilla is transformed from the horse we've seen before as he wins under Philip EnrightCredit: David Keane

O'Brien's racing club in full song

The most enthusiastic bunch of owners on show were the 30-odd members of the TerenceOBrien Racing Club after the deserved and easy success of Mahlers Dollar in the opening auction maiden hurdle under Jack Foley.

A rendition of The Banks Of My Own Lovely Lee rang out from the members as they were presented with their prize, and winning trainer O'Brien explained how the club came into being.

He said: "It's our first club. A couple of lads suggested it to me and, to be honest, I didn't have much enthusiasm for it because of all the administration.

"It's been fantastic, though, we have 30 members and it opened up ownership to a lot of lads I didn't think would have any interest. They've brought people with them and I would say there are 50 or 60 people here today that normally wouldn't be. We've started another club on the back of this one and there is good demand for it, and hopefully we can keep going."

Results, replays and analysis

Upping The Ante star Gavin Lynch joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.