Primal scream for double

The Irish Report: Back In Front provided the kick-off and Youlneverwalkalone the chorus to a successful first day for the Irish. Mind you the roars that greeted Back In Front's annihilation of the Gerrard Management Supreme Novices Hurdle field will have left most with sore throats.

Despite his so-called banker status, Back In Front drifted alarmingly in the market to 3 to 1, but for once the market lied.

The Edward O'Grady-trained novice sauntered to the front after the second last and only had to be pushed out to beat the other Irish hope, Kicking King, by 10 lengths.

O'Grady was in bullish form afterwards which, considering his 16 previous festival victories, spoke volumes for Back In Front's future.

"I'll be disappointed if he's not in Race Three next year!" he said, in reference to the Champion Hurdle.

"I would be hopeful he would beat Rhinestone Cowboy and it's his jumping that really makes him different. I'll enter him in the novice and champion hurdles at Punchestown now. He's a hurdler through and through," O'Grady added.

Norman Williamson returned to a raucous welcome for his 11th festival winner and commented: "I knew he was very good and Edward keeps saying he will be better than Rhinestone Cowboy. Hopefully next year he will be champion class."

Tom Taaffe was thrilled with Kicking King's effort and said: "He is a fine, big chasing horse and that will be the plan. He is a real natural athlete and still only five; hopefully we can carry on talking about him for the next six years."

Youlneverwalkalone did in the William Hill National Hunt Chase what many thought he would do in the Supreme Novices Hurdle three years ago and came up the hill in front.

In the intervening time, the JP McManus-owned horse has flattered to deceive more than once, and been called some unflattering names in the process.

But under a superb ride from Barry Geraghty, Youlneverwalkalone just edged out Haut Cervy and helped Christy Roche's argument that the Aintree National should be next.

"I've been talking to JP about it and I think my work is done now," grinned the Curragh trainer.

"He has always been my favourite, but I was hoping on the run-in that all those names he has been called were not going to come true.

"Barry was brilliant on him. The one thing I told him was arrive too late if he wanted but not too early," Roche added.