A GLANCE at results of the first day of Cheltenham would suggest a race meeting that went as expected; three winning favourites, two of the apparent bankers, and only one winner returned bigger than 6/1.

The run-up to the Tuesday was anything but predictable, however. Neither the Supreme nor the Arkle winner were supposed to be in those races a week beforehand, the star attraction of the entire meeting was absent while the ground came up much softer than anticipated after plenty rain over the previous 24 hours.