Impaire Et Passe strikes for Mullins and Townend at Aintree

got the meeting at under way for Willie Mullins with a neat success in the EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase.

Ridden by Paul Townend as a 9-4 chance, the seven-year-old – winner of last year’s Hurdle at this meeting – came into the fixture a fresh horse having skipped the Cheltenham Festival.

He travelled well throughout and after Harry Fry’s Gidleigh Park stood off one too far in the latter stages, took over perhaps sooner than liked. But he had plenty in hand, despite Gidleigh Park gamely sticking to his task, for a length-and-a-quarter success.

Nicky Henderson’s Arkle winner Jango Baie was sent off the 6-4 favourite, but he was always slightly playing catch up and try as he might he was another short head back in third.