Racing:Nigel Twiston-Davies enjoyed the perfect start to the 2009 Cheltenham Open meeting as he gave his son, Sam, the leg-up aboard opening-race winner Razor Royale.
Twiston-Davies jnr gave a most assured ride aboard the 12-1 shot in The Irish TimesAmateur Riders' Handicap Chase.
Razor Royale swept into the lead on the long sweep for home and was unchallenged from then on, with The Sawyer finishing 23 lengths adrift in second.
The trainer said: "He's quite a quirky horse but if you go back to his hurdles form and his rating, he had a very good chance and was definitely right.
"I am very proud of Sam, who has been placed in the Foxhunter here before.
"He was very over-excited and had offers of rides from a lot of the top trainers but I said, 'No, you're going to ride mine'.
"We have more runners here than anywhere else and this is where we want to be."
Loosen My Load repelled the late challenge of fellow Irish raider Some Present to land the Grade Two Sharp Novices' Hurdle for Henry de Bromhead.
The 5-2 chance was positioned close to the pace throughout under Andrew Lynch and took up the running from William Hogarth running down the hill.
The five-year-old kicked a couple of lengths clear turning for home and although Some Present came at him hard on the run to the line, Loosen My Load kept up the gallop to score by half a length.
Paddy Power gave the winner a 20-1 quote for next year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle back at Prestbury Park.